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.
Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) - Quarantined Area in Solano County, California - United States
Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) - Quarantined Area in Solano County, California - United States
Country: United States
Title: Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) - Quarantined Area in Solano County, California - United States
Contact:
For additional information contact Wayne Burnett, National Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Program Domestic Coordinator, at (301) 734-6553.
Report:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Medfly) in the Dixon area of Solano County, California. APHIS is designating portions of Solano County as Medfly quarantine areas and is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of Medfly to noninfested areas of the United States.
From September 10 through 17, 2007, APHIS confirmed the detection of 10 adult male and 3 adult unmated female Medflies on 7 separate residential properties in the Dixon area. On September 13, 2007, APHIS confirmed the detection of 33 larvae from peach fruit taken from an additional residential property. All detection sites, both adult and larval, are within one mile of each other. These detections triggered the initiation of this quarantine. The quarantine boundary encompasses approximately 114 square miles of Solano County, California. Commercial host production within the quarantine area includes wine grapes, tomatoes, peppers, citrus, figs, persimmons, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, almonds, and olives.
Fruit fly traps have been deployed at protocol levels to conduct a delimitation survey surrounding the detection sites. Spinosad foliar bait spray treatments are being applied to all host trees within 200 meters of the detection at 7 to 10 day intervals. Fruit stripping is being conducted at detection sites. A sterile Medfly release effort began on September 14, 2007, at a release rate of 250,000 sterile Medflies per square mile per week over a 13 square mile area surrounding the detection sites. Both the foliar bait spray treatments and the weekly release of sterile Medflies will continue through two projected life cycles of the Medfly in the Dixon area. This action is effective immediately.
Under IPPC Standards, Ceratitis capitata is considered to be a pest that is transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.
Posted Date: Sept. 20, 2007, 9 a.m.