Residents of a Southern California neighborhood are under quarantine as officials grapple with the spread of an invasive species of fly, the Tau fruit fly, that has been linked to agricultural and environmental damage. The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced the quarantine on July 25, stating that it is the first such quarantine placed on the pest in the Western Hemisphere.
The quarantine, which spans a 79-square mile area in Stevenson Ranch, is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States for this species. Tau fruit flies, native to Asia, is yellow and black with light-striped wings and is about 7mm in length. were first detected in California in 2016 in San Bernardino County, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Since then, it has been reintroduced and eradicated three times.
The species has been linked to a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as select native plants in California. It is typically spread through the introduction of uninspected produce brought into the state from other countries.
The Department of Food and Agriculture issued the quarantine after more than 20 Tau flies were detected. Residents within the quarantine area are asked not to remove any fruits or vegetables from their property, though they may consume them safely. Produce that is not consumed should be disposed of in double plastic bags and placed in special dumpsters provided by the department.
The quarantine measures are meant to prevent the spread of the fly and protect the agricultural resources of California. Fruit and vegetables in the area can still be consumed or processed on the property where they were picked. Any produce that is not consumed must be disposed of with double bagging and placed in a garbage container.
For properties near detections, crews will cut up fruits and vegetables to inspect for fly larvae, and the region will be treated with an approved organic agent that will help eliminate live adult flies and reduce population density.
With information from CNN
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