Official Pest Report
Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.
Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Removes Quarantine in Texas (OPR-44)
Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Removes Quarantine in Texas (OPR-44)
Country: United States
Title:
Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Removes Quarantine in Texas (OPR-44)
Contact:
Catherine Marzolf, National Policy Manager, 386-666-9932 or catherine.a.marzolf@usda.gov
Report:
On October 9, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Donna Mexfly quarantine in Hidalgo County, Texas. This action released 71 square miles from quarantine, including 322 acres of commercial citrus. Release from quarantine occurred after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection, based on a degree-day model.
APHIS restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. APHIS worked cooperatively with TDA to eradicate this transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols.
The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains a description of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.
Under IPPC standards, Anastrepha ludens is a transient pest under eradication that is present only in one area in Texas. This species is not widely distributed and is under official control in the United States.
Posted Date: Nov. 25, 2025, 11:55 a.m.