Queensland Fruit Fly in La Mesa Causes Concern
A housefly-sized insect from the South Pacific capable of damaging more than 100 types of fruits and vegetables has been found in San Diego County.
San Diego County agriculture officials said that it will be six months before they know for certain whether the insect, known as the Queensland fruit fly, represents an isolated case or possibly a danger to all of California’s vegetable and citrus crops.
A single fly was found in the La Mesa area last week. County Agriculture Commissioner Kathleen Thuner said federal and state officials last week set up 225 fruit fly traps, in addition to the more than 2,000 that are normally set throughout the county.
Thuner said the brown-and-yellow insect is particularly dangerous because it has the “potential for infesting all of the California commercial growing area.”
The commissioner said last week’s discovery was a first for the Queensland fly in the United States. The fly normally inhabits Australia, Tahiti and other parts of the South Pacific, she said.
County agriculture officials will continue to check the traps on a day-to-day basis until Friday, when the traps will be checked once a week.
Thuner said no other fly has so far been found.
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