Received from Dr. Wayne Dixon, Division of Plant Industry, FDACS
Thursday, April 30, 1998

On Monday, April 27, a single female Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was detected in the Lake County town of Umatilla, Florida ,just south of the Ocala National Forest and about 25 miles northwest of Orlando. The Jackson trap was hung in a sour orange tree at the intersection of Owens Lane and Bayless Road, adjacent to an abandoned grove.

Intensive trapping began immediately in an 81-square-mile area surrounding the find. Two days later, on Wednesday, April 29, 54 additional Medflies were trapped in two additional locations within a mile of the first find. Of the 54 flies, 45 were found in a single Jackson trap. This trap site is within 50 feet of a 40-acre commercial Valencia orange grove and a 20-acre sour orange grove. Personnel discovered yesterday this area to be heavily infested, as they observed considerable Medfly activity. Personnel subsequently found numerous larvae in the oranges, in the same orange grove.

To date, all Medflies have been trapped in sour orange trees.

Trapping is intensifying in and around the area of these finds. Fruit stripping will begin today at 9:00 A.M., with assistance from the Division of Forestry. Agricultural Law Enforcement will also be on hand to ensure no infected fruit leaves the area.

Ground bait spraying is expected to begin today or tomorrow in the infested areas. Aerial application of Malathion over the infested grove, and possibly other agricultural areas, will likely begin this weekend, pending EPA approval and after the public has been given notice.

No host fruit or vegetables may move out of the area unless approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the United States Department of Agriculture.

FDACS - Division of Plant Industy: Mediterranean fruit fly information
USDA APHIS: Mediterranean fruit fly information
UF/IFAS Fact Sheet ENY-809: The Mediterranean Fruit Fly
UF/IFAS Fact Sheet ENY-626: Mediterranean Fruit Fly: What Floridians Need To Know