San Diego County growers are on pest alert after a single Asian citrus psyllid and three Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in traps in the space of two days.
The Asian citrus psyllid was found in a trap near some of southern California's commercial citrus groves on 28 October, representing the first of its type to be found in northern San Diego County, triggering 'Extensive trapping and surveying' according to Ted Batkin of the Citrus Research Board.
'We're not in a panic,' Mr Batkin told The Packer. 'It is pretty typical of the expansions we've expected.'
On 29-30 October, however, two male Mediterranean fruit flies and one mated female fruit fly were also discovered in traps, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, prompting immediate action.
State and county agricultural crews have been put in place to strip fruit from trees near the discovery site, while ground spraying has also taken place across an eight-mile radius.
Additionally, 250,000 sterile Medflies per square mile will be released into the area from 10 November onwards, with an agricultural quarantine to be put in place.
'We are ramping up quickly so that we can eradicate this outbreak before it has time to spread through this important agricultural regions,' said agriculture secretary AG Kawamura.
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