SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Following recent detections of the pest in El Cajon and Spring Valley, the California Department of Food and Agriculture Tuesday expanded a Mexican fruit fly quarantine in San Diego County.
The quarantine now covers nearly 111 square miles and overlaps with an existing La Mesa quarantine area.
The boundaries are:
- State Route 67 to the north
- Proctor Valley Road to the south
- State Route 125 to the west
- Riggs Road to the east
A map and more information are available at www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/mexfly/regulation.html. The affected areas include some or all of the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, San Diego and Santee.
According to a statement from San Diego County, state and federal agencies, including CDFA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner are "working together to contain the infestation and support growers, wholesalers, retailers, and home gardeners."
Efforts to eradicate the harmful pest include releasing sterile male Mexican fruit flies, treating nearby properties with Spinosad, a naturally derived treatment used to manage harmful pests, and removing fruit within 100 meters of where flies or larvae are found.
The quarantine means restricted movement of host fruits and plants for growers, wholesalers, retailers, and nurseries. Home gardeners are urged to consume homegrown produce onsite and avoid transporting fruit off their property to prevent spreading the pest.
Residents who believe their fruits or vegetables may be infested should call the state's tollfree Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.
According to CDFA, the Mexican fruit fly can infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, posing risks to California's agricultural sector, local food supply, and backyard gardens.
"Although invasive fruit flies occasionally appear in agricultural areas, most detections occur in suburban and urban communities," a county statement read. "These pests often enter the state by hitchhiking on fruits or vegetables brought back illegally by travelers."
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