USDA expands quarantine zone after another Mexican fruit fly found in Laredo

vegetationLMT | July 21, 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Laredo Mexican Fruit Fly Project has detected an additional adult Mexican fruit fly in Laredo.

This detection requires the establishment of a delimiting area and the subsequent expansion of the quarantine zone.

The USDA Laredo Mexican Fruit Fly Project will be surveying in nearby residential areas.

The surveys involve fruit stripping, treatment of the trees, placing traps and daily trap monitoring.

The treatment is not harmful to people or pets.

“We ask the public to please cooperate with the survey teams so that we can stop the spread of this destructive pest,” the USDA said in a news release.

On July 8, the USDA started a sterile Mexican fruit fly aerial release program over the quarantine areas.

Over 4 million flies were released by aircraft over Laredo, Zapata and San Ygnacio. The releases will take place weekly.

The sterile flies will mate with wild flies, producing no new flies.  Read More …

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