How did the medfly find its way into this country?

1. Where did the Mediterranean fruit fly come from?
2. Why are Mediterranean fruit flies bad?
3. When did California spray for fruit flies?
4. Is the fruit fly an invasive species?
5. When did the Mediterranean fruit fly come to the United States?
6. What does a Medfly look like?
7. Can a fruit be a vector?
8. How do you control Mediterranean fruit flies?
9. How did the Medfly get to California?
10. Why was malathion banned?
11. How do you make malathion?
12. Why is there so many flies in Mexico?
13. Are there mango flies in Texas?

Where did the Mediterranean fruit fly come from?

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), is one of the world's most destructive fruit pests. The species originated in sub-Saharan Africa and is not known to be established in the continental United States.

Why are Mediterranean fruit flies bad?

An evil cousin of the fruit fly. Left to its own devices, the Mediterranean fruit fly—known as the Ceratitis capitata, scientifically, or the Medfly, for short—can wreak havoc on Florida's fruit farms. ... And because the Medfly can reproduce rapidly, infestations can quickly render large parts of a harvest inedible.

When did California spray for fruit flies?

Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. On July 11, 1981, bowing to threats of a federal quarantine of all California farm produce, Gov. Jerry Brown approved aerial spraying over a 97-square-mile swath of Santa Clara and Alameda counties.

Is the fruit fly an invasive species?

Mexican fruit fly is one of the world's most destructive invasive pests, attacking more than 40 different kinds of fruits and vegetables. This invasive fruit fly does not harm humans or animals but it poses a serious threat to the Texas citrus industry.

When did the Mediterranean fruit fly come to the United States?

The first of numerous U.S. mainland infestations occurred in Florida in 1929. It has been recorded infesting a wide range of commercial and garden fruits, nuts and vegetables, including apple, avocado, bell pepper, citrus, melon, peach, plum and tomato.

What does a Medfly look like?

The adult fly is 3-5mm long, slightly smaller than a housefly. The body is light brown. The wings are mottled with distinct brown bands extending to the wing tips. The abdomen is brown, encircled by two light-coloured rings.

Can a fruit be a vector?

The ability of the Mediterranean fruit fly to serve as a vector for food-borne pathogens has not been reported previously, although several features of this insect suggest its potential as a vector.

How do you control Mediterranean fruit flies?

Two control methods are currently recommended: foliage baiting and cover spraying. Foliage baits are used to control the adult population; cover sprays control adult Medfly and provide some control of eggs and larvae. For chemical methods to be effective, fly-infested or unwanted fruit must be destroyed.

How did the Medfly get to California?

The Fly That Quarantined California and Pitted Environmentalists Against Farmers. In the summer of 1981, the Mediterranean fruit fly spread through California's Santa Clara Valley, infesting backyard fruit trees and threatening the state's $14 billion agricultural industry.

Why was malathion banned?

Last year the federal government's top fisheries experts issued a report saying that the pesticide and two others — diazinon and malathion — were washing into streams and rivers and harming wildlife, such as endangered species of salmon.

How do you make malathion?

Malathion is produced by the addition of dimethyl dithiophosphoric acid to diethyl maleate or diethyl fumarate. The compound is chiral but is used as a racemate.

Why is there so many flies in Mexico?

Each year, the fly enters the lower Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas from Mexico and infests fruit groves. The infestations are probably caused by the movement of infested fruit from Mexico and/or the movement of adults from infested areas of Mexico.

Are there mango flies in Texas?

The Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) is a serious pest to various fruits, particularly citrus and mango. Mexican fruit fly was first found in Central Mexico in 1863, and by the early 1950s flies were found along the California-Mexico border. The pest has since been detected in Arizona, California and Texas.