Medfly Infestation Detected In San Diego County
November 4, 2009 A Mediterranean fruit fly infestation has been discovered in Fallbrook, CA, in San Diego County. Two adult male flies were detected in one trap on Oct. 29, and a mated female fly was detected in another trap on Nov. 1.
California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) crews are conducting eradication procedures in the area. Aerial release of sterile medflies is set to begin Tuesday, Nov. 10, at a rate of 250,000 sterile flies per square mile per week. The release area is approximately 9.33 square miles, and a map of the sterile fly release zone is available here.
“The release of sterile medflies is a proven method of eradicating an infestation,” says CDFA secretary A.G. Kawamura. “We are ramping up quickly so that we can eradicate this outbreak before it has time to spread throughout this important agricultural region.”
Agricultural officials plan to begin stripping fruit from trees within a minimum of 100 meters of the infested sites so any larvae that may already be inside the fruit cannot survive. Crews will also apply limited treatments to trees and plants in a 200-meter radius from the sites where the flies were found.
source: California Department of Food & Agriculture
