Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine Expands in San Diego County
A new Mexican fruit fly quarantine is now in place in San Diego County after the detection of a single mated female fly near the unincorporated community of Spring Valley.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the new quarantine covers 76 square miles and overlaps part of an existing Mexican fruit fly quarantine in nearby La Mesa. The response effort is being coordinated by CDFA, the San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The quarantine affects growers, wholesalers, retailers, and nurseries handling susceptible fruit and host plants within the affected area. Residents with backyard fruit trees and gardens are also being asked to consume homegrown produce on site and avoid moving it off their property.
To eliminate the pest, officials are using several tools, including the release of sterile male Mexican fruit flies. Those sterile males mate with wild females but produce no offspring, helping reduce the population over time. Additional treatments and fruit removal may also occur near detection sites.
Mexican fruit fly can infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables. State officials say the quarantine and eradication efforts are designed to protect against the spread of the infestation
