APHIS Amends Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine Areas in Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2024-44
November 18, 2024

Subject:  APHIS Amends Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens)Quarantine Areas in Texas

To:  State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On October 9, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens; Mexfly) quarantine in Donna, Hidalgo County, Texas. On October 11, APHIS and TDA reduced a portion of the Harlingen-Sebastian Mexfly quarantine area in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy Counties, and on November 1, expanded this quarantine area. On October 17, APHIS and TDA expanded the Mexfly quarantine area in Edinburg, Hidalgo County.

Expansion of the Donna quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on September 28 of Mexfly larvae in fruits on a residential property. APHIS and TDA established the quarantine on August 15 following the detection of Mexfly larvae in citrus fruits in a commercial grove. The quarantine area increased by 25 square miles to 96 square miles and contains 940 acres of commercial citrus.

Changes to the Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine area include release of a 50-square-mile portion in Cameron County after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection in that portion, based on a degree-day model. Changes also include a two-square-mile expansion in a section of Cameron County, following the confirmed detections on October 23 of Mexfly larvae in citrus fruits on a residential property. The quarantine area currently encompasses 321 square miles, including 1,332 acres of commercial citrus.

APHIS and TDA established the Sebastian quarantine on March 21, following the detection of a wild mated female Mexfly, and the Harlingen quarantine on March 26, following the detections of six wild mated female Mexflies. APHIS and TDA consolidated these two quarantines on September 27, and amended these quarantines on April 3, May 20, June 27 August 2, August 29, and September 27; these were either expansions following the detections of additional flies and Mexfly larvae or removals after three generations elapsed since the dates of the last detections in some portions.

Expansion of the Edinburg quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on October 10 of a wild mated female Mexfly from a trap in a grapefruit tree, and on October 15 of Mexfly larvae in grapefruits, in a commercial grove. APHIS and TDA established the quarantine on August 30, following the detection of Mexfly larvae in orange fruits on a residential property. The quarantine area increased by 36 square miles to 107 square miles and contains 5,679 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 transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS exotic fruit flies website contains descriptions and maps of the new quarantine areas, as well as all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.

For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine areas, please contact:

Richard Johnson
National Policy Manager
301-851-2109
richard.n.johnson@usda.gov

Avraham Eitam
Assistant National Policy Manager
614-205-4565
avraham.eitam@usda.gov

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine