Quarantine Area Enlarged for Oriental Fruit Flies

The federal government on Friday expanded the size of an agricultural quarantine area in Los Angeles County by 70 square miles because of the discovery of more Oriental fruit flies, officials said.

The quarantine restricts shipment of fruits and vegetables. Oriental fruit flies can damage 200 types of citrus fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries but do not pose the same danger as the Mediterranean fruit fly.

A 79-square-mile portion of Los Angeles and Orange counties was put under a federal agricultural quarantine Sept. 19 after the discovery of six Oriental fruit flies.

The 70-square-mile area is being added to the quarantine “in response to additional flies being found in the county,” said Larry Slagle of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Noting that inspectors have found six Oriental fruit flies in the Elysian Park area since Oct. 4, he added: “We need to prevent further spread of the pest.”