Medflies Spotted in South Florida: Be on Alert

Mediterranean fruit flies, better known as medflies, are considered to be among the world’s most destructive fruit pests. Little wonder, then, that recent news stories mentioning the discovery of medflies in Florida traps are alarming to both the experienced pest control professional and the homeowners they serve.

Because the medfly is unusually hardy and can withstand cooler temperatures than other fruit flies, it’s able to travel between continents in shipping containers, aircraft and other modes of transportation. For this reason, it’s not uncommon to see medflies in areas that haven’t had them in quite some time.

The Mediterranean fruit fly is drawn to Florida since it lays its destructive larvae under the skin of most citrus fruits, as well as deciduous fruits like peaches, pears and apples.

When medflies are discovered in a backyard monitoring trap, local authorities usually set out a large number of traps in the surrounding area to determine if the discovery represents merely an isolated, random event or a more widespread infestation.

In the event of an outbreak, homeowners can help participate in medfly control by promptly collecting fallen or rotted fruit in the yard, enclosing it in heavy plastic bags, then carefully obeying instructions of local authorities for proper disposal. The most important step homeowners can take is to make sure no homegrown fruit leaves the property in an unapproved manner. Don’t give away or sell fruit or send it to anyone in another locale.

Medfly treatment by a pest control service involves multiple strategies, including spraying trees with pesticides such as spinosad or malathion — the most widely used sprays for medflies. In addition, the soil around fruit trees may be drenched with a pesticide such as diazinon. Very often, stripping all fruit from the trees is also recommended in order to remove all sources of larvae.

Serving Boca Raton and surrounding areas since 1975, Haggerty Pest Service provides comprehensive residential pest control for both houses and outdoor landscape. Contact us for more information about the detection of medflies on your property and professional methods for control.

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