The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has announced that eradication has been declared in the peach fruit fly outbreak in Miami-Dade County. Regulations have been lifted and fruit movement is no longer prohibited after three life cycles of the fruit fly have occurred and no additional peach fruit fly has been found. Trapping will continue under the statewide fruit fly detection and monitoring program.
Since November 2010, residents and businesses in the previously regulated area were prohibited from selling and enjoying their fruits and vegetables for a four-month period. This mandate cost the state thousands of dollars, and without the eradication efforts, could have destroyed entire crops.
The peach fruit fly is considered one of the most serious of the world’s fruit fly pests due to its potential economic harm. It attacks many different fruits, vegetables and nuts, including mango, guava, citrus, eggplant, tomato, apple, peach, melon, loquat, almond and fig. The fruit flies lay their eggs in fruits and vegetables. In a few days, the eggs hatch and maggots render the fruits or vegetables inedible.
A cooperative state and federal program monitors more than 56,000 fruit fly traps across the state as an early fruit fly detection network to prevent fruit fly introductions. State and federal agriculture officials continue to stress the importance of educating the public about the risks associated with bringing agricultural products into the state illegally (whether knowingly or not) that may harbor harmful pests and diseases, such as the peach fruit fly.
In November 2010, during routine fruit fly trapping, one male peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata,was found in a trap in a guava tree on a residential property in Miami. Intensive trapping was conducted by state and federal agricultural personnel throughout the eradication program. No additional peach fruit fly was found and the origin of the trapped peach fruit fly has not been determined. The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to investigate how this pest was introduced into Florida, and state and federal officials continue to explore potential pathways for exotic fruit fly pest introductions.
To prevent further introductions of exotic fruit flies, state and federal agriculture officials request that when people travel they “Don’t Pack a Pest.” They must also only mail agricultural items with a permit and purchase plants from registered nurseries.