The Mediterranean fruit fly infestation in Fremont has successfully been eradicated, bringing an end to a 213-square-mile quarantine after 11 months.
That’s good news for California’s agricultural exports, backyard gardens, and natural resources. Known to target more than 250 different fruits and vegetables, the Medfly causes damage as female flies lay their eggs inside the fruit. Those eggs eventually hatch into maggots, who ruin the fruit by tunneling through the flesh. These invasive flies often enter California as “hitchhikers,” attaching themselves to produce brought back home by travelers who’ve visited infested areas across the world.
Credit for the eradication of Fremont’s long-running infestation goes to a sterile fly release program overseen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. A minimum of 250,000 sterile male flies per square mile were released every week. As those sterile males mated with fertile female flies in the wild, no offspring was produced. As a result, the overall population steadily decreased as wild flies reached the end of their lifespans without producing any offspring, eventually eliminating the pest’s presence altogether. Properties within 200 meters of all detection sites also received organic treatments of Spinosad, which helped eliminate any mated female flies.
To help protect California’s agricultural industry, make sure to visit www.dontpackapest.com whenever you’re returning home from a trip. In the meantime, visit one of our supply centers for the tools and insecticides needed to protect your growing operation from pests!