(Friday, September 24, 2004)

Detection and confirmation of adult

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) have implemented emergency interim measures at all land border ports in California, Arizona, New Mexico and in El Paso, Texas. The Medfly, one of the most destructive pests known to man, causes damage by laying its eggs just beneath the skin of ripening fruit. Commodities that can be attacked by the Medfly includes more than 250 different types, including fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Because this insect pest is so potentially injurious to crops, year-round trapping is maintained as an early warning system in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California, and in Northern Mexico and Baja. The instant a detection is made, eradication and regulatory restrictions are set in place to prevent the movement of the pest to other areas.