Country: United States

Title:

Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Establishes a Quarantine Area in Texas

Contact:
Catherine Marzolf, National Policy Manager, 386-666-9932 or catherine.a.marzolf@usda.gov

Report:

On December 5, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens: Mexfly) in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas, designated the La Feria quarantine.

APHIS and TDA established the La Feria quarantine in response to the December 3 confirmed detection of one Mexfly larva in a grapefruit collected from a commercial grove in La Feria. The quarantine encompasses approximately 70.99 square miles with 831.3 acres of commercial citrus.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate the transient Mexfly population following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains descriptions and maps 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: Dec. 29, 2025, 3:15 p.m.