Two Oriental Fruit Flies were discovered Wednesday in a rural
residential neighborhood northwest of Gilroy. The identification of
the insects was confirmed by California Department of Food and
Agriculture.
Gilroy – Two Oriental Fruit Flies were discovered Wednesday in a rural residential neighborhood northwest of Gilroy. The identification of the insects was confirmed by California Department of Food and Agriculture.
According to state protocol, the trapping of the two flies will result in an emergency proclamation by the California Secretary of Agriculture authorizing immediate implementation of an eradication program.
The eradication program is scheduled to begin Saturday and will involve the technique of “male annihilation.” Using ground-based, spot applications of insecticide mixed with a pheromone lure, the mixture is applied as small, dollar-sized spots on street trees and utility poles.
Because of the lure, the male fruit flies are attracted to these spots and die from feeding on the mixture. The treatments are applied at heights that are typically inaccessible to the public. CDFA workers will treat an area of approximately 9 square miles as part of this eradication effort.
The treatment area is roughly bounded by Highland Avenue on the north, Monterey Road on the east, Hecker Pass Highway on the south, and Watsonville Road on the west.
Oriental Fruit Fly is an exotic insect pest found throughout much of southern Asia. Currently, the distribution of this pest in the United States is restricted to the Hawaiian Islands.
The Oriental Fruit Fly threatens more than 230 kinds of fruits and vegetables including citrus, grapes, stone fruits, pome fruits, avocado and tomato.
These precautionary measures are necessary because of the severe agricultural threat posed by the Oriental Fruit Fly.
The pest’s life cycle is short, resulting in rapid outbreaks of infestation that can cause critical crop damage, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Website.
Infestations of Oriental Fruit Fly likely result from the introduction of contraband fruit.
In the past few months, this invasive pest has also been found in the counties of Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego and San Mateo.
