The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has established a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in a residential area of Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas.

The zone is about 57 miles south of an existing quarantine area for San Perlita in Willacy County, and is right on the border with Mexico.

In an announcement, APHIS said that from April 14 it had been applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from the area, with the aim of preventing the pest's spread.

APHIS confirmed a detection of a Mexfly larva in the Brownsville area on April 14, and that it was acting in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

The new quarantine area encompasses approximately 91 square miles of non-commerical acres in Cameron County.

Photo: Jack Dykinga, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

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