The authorities of the state of California in the United States, reported that an area of 200 square kilometers located in Los Angeles County had to be placed under quarantine after the discovery of an invasive fruit fly. This is the first quarantine of its kind to be declared for this pest species in the Western Hemisphere.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, it said in a statement that the discovery of more than 20 Tau fruit flies was recorded, which were in the Stevenson Ranch area, which is located near the city of Santa Clarita. This type of insect is native to Asia and is considered a serious pest for agriculture and natural resources. The fly presents the colors yellow and black, with light striped wings. In addition, it has an approximate length of 7 millimeters. The females of the spice lay their eggs in fruits and vegetables, such as avocados, tomatoes, citrus fruits, cucumbers and melons. It is known that after this, the larvae tunnel and feed on the fruits where they were initially deposited.
According to the entity, the fly is believed to have been introduced into the area by travelers bringing uninspected products into the state. This is a common pathway for the movement of invasive species. Unlike the quarantines implemented by COVID-19, the one for the invasive fly applies only to agricultural products. Residents of the area who are subject to this precautionary measure should not move or handle any fruit or vegetables found on their property. The Department of Food and Agriculture reported that “They may be consumed or processed (juiced, frozen, cooked, or ground in the garbage disposal) on the property where they were collected. Otherwise, they must be discarded by double plastic bag and place the bags in a container that is specifically designated for garbage.
Stevenson Ranch is located about 90 kilometers north of Los Angeles. Authorities have stated that this is not the first time that the Tau fruit fly has appeared in the state of California. Its first records date back to 2016 in San Bernardino County. Since that date, 3 reintroductions have been reported, which have been delimited and successfully eradicated by the authorities. Other of the measures implemented in the quarantine, is that the crews will cut the fruits and vegetables of the properties located less than 200 meters from the detections with the aim of inspecting them in search of fruit fly larvae.
