California agriculture officials have slapped a quarantine on part of San Diego County after the discovery of a destructive invasive pest this week that threatens the state’s massive fruit and vegetable industry.
State authorities announced a 77-square-mile quarantine this week after five Mexican fruit flies were detected in La Mesa, raising fears the destructive pest could spread and threaten California’s multi billion-dollar agriculture industry.
The quarantine zone stretches from the San Diego River south to Sweetwater Reservoir and from Interstate 15 east to El Cajon, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The aggressive response is aimed at stopping the pest before it establishes itself in the region — something officials say could devastate crops across Southern California.
“The Mexican fruit fly can lay its eggs in and infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables,” state officials warned.
To crush the outbreak, there will be a large-scale aerial release of sterile male fruit flies — a strategy designed to wipe out the population before it multiplies.
Under the plan, authorities will release about 250,000 sterile flies per square mile every week across up to 50 square miles surrounding the detection site.
The sterile males mate with wild females but produce no offspring, gradually collapsing the pest population.
Officials will also deploy organic pesticide treatments on properties within roughly 200 meters of where the flies were found, and fruit may be removed from nearby trees if larvae or additional mated females are detected.
The quarantine affects growers, plant nurseries, retailers and residents with backyard fruit trees, who are now barred from moving certain fruits or plants outside the quarantine zone.
The Mexican fruit fly can infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, making it one of the most destructive invasive pests agriculture officials monitor.
Authorities say many infestations start when travelers bring fruits or vegetables into California from abroad, allowing pests to hitchhike into the state.
