The California Department of Food and Agriculture has announced the detection of an infestation of the Asian white striped fruit fly in the La Verne area of Los Angeles County.
Seven flies were discovered in traps in the area recently, the group said, with an eradication plan now being put into place through the introduction of 'several thousand' traps containing a male hormonal attractant and a small amount of pesticide.
The traps, known as 'bait stations' will be hung in trees throughout approximately 15m2 in the La Verne area, attracting and killing the male flies to effectively eliminate breeding.
Meanwhile, within 200m of the sites where the seven flies were trapped, crews will also apply ground treatments with an organic-approved product to the foliage of the trees to ensure that any breeding populations are eradicated.
'The fly is native to tropical southeast Asia, where it damages the fruit of many trees, most notably guava and mango,' the CDFA said in a statement. 'Damage occurs when the female lays eggs inside the fruit. The eggs hatch into maggots that tunnel through the flesh of the fruit, making it unfit for consumption.'
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