Mexican Fruit Fly
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Mexican Fruit Fly

The Mexican fruit fly is native to southern and central Mexico. Each year, the pest enters the Lower Rio Grande Valley’s 27,000 acres of commercial citrus crops from south of the border and attacks more than 40 different kinds of fruits. Damage occurs when the female fly lays eggs in the fruit, which then hatch into larvae, making the fruit unmarketable.

The fly is also a threat to surrounding citrus-producing states, including California, Arizona, Louisiana and Florida. Economic losses due to infestation not only are measured in damaged crops, but also in costs associated with eradication and shipping protocols aimed at consumer protection.

Primary eradication tactics include surveillance, bait sprays and Sterile Insect Techniques (SIT).

MEXICAN FRUIT FLY QUARANTINE

QUARANTINE REGULATIONS

TDA’s Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine regulations are found in the Texas Administrative Code Title 4, Chapter 19, Subchapter V.

  CLICK HERE to view TDA's Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine regulations in 2-column format, for your convenience.
  CLICK HERE to view TDA's Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine on the Texas Secretary of State's website.


GEOGRAPHIC AREAS SUBJECT TO THE QUARANTINE

Under provisions in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 4, Chapter 19,  (having to do with quarantined areas), the department has designated this page for declarations and descriptions concerning areas in Texas that are quarantined for Mexican Fruit Fly. Names and legal descriptions of quarantined areas are effective and enforceable upon being published on this page.

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine areas in Hargill, Palmview in South Texas, after three generations elapsed with no additional detections in these areas. 

 

Brownsville MXFF Quarantined Area:
  CLICK HERE to view Map of the Brownsville MXFF Quarantined Area.
  CLICK HERE to view Legal Description of the Brownsville MXFF Quarantined Area.

Harlingen MXFF Quarantined Area:
  CLICK HERE to view Map of the Harlingen MXFF Quarantined Area.
  CLICK HERE to view Legal Description of the Harlingen MXFF Quarantined Area.

Sebastian MXFF Quarantined Area:
  CLICK HERE to view Map of the Sebastian MXFF Quarantined Area.
  CLICK HERE to view Legal Description of the Sebastian MXFF Quarantined Area.

Sullivan City MXFF Quarantined Area:
  CLICK HERE to view Map of the Sullivan City MXFF Quarantined Area.
  CLICK HERE to view Legal Description of the Sullivan City MXFF Quarantined Area.

Zapata MXFF Quarantined Area:
  CLICK HERE to view Map of the Zapata MXFF Quarantined Area.
  CLICK HERE to view Legal Description of the Zapata MXFF Quarantined Area.



CLICK HERE for INTERACTIVE MAP that shows if you are in a quarantined area.

(1) Click on the link (above) to see the map.
(2) In the upper left corner of the map page, click on the magnifying glass icon and enter your address.
(3) Zoom out from your address, to see if it's inside the border of one of the colored quarantined areas
    (Use the "+" or the "-" button to zoom in or out).

Chronology

2024

03/26/2024. The Harlingen MXFF Quarantined Area is hereby established. The quarantine area spans to 301.56 square miles in Cameron County.

03/22/2024. The Sullivan City MXFF Quarantined Area is hereby established. The quarantine area spans to 68.00 square miles in Hidalgo County.

03/21/2024. The Brownsville MXFF Quarantined Area is hereby established. The quarantine area spans to 65.84 square miles in Cameron County.

03/21/2024. The Sebastian MXFF Quarantined Area is hereby established. The quarantine area spans to  70.88 square miles in Willacy County.

03/11/2024. The Zapata MXFF Quarantined Area is hereby established. The quarantine area spans to 38.77 square miles in Zapata County.

2022

11/14/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined area and core areas in Rule §19.502. The quarantined area falls in Cameron County.

10/13/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Brownsville quarantine area. After deregulating a portion, quarantined area spans to 42.91 square miles in Cameron County.

10/13/2022.  The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area falls under Cameron County.

09/29/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Brownsville quarantine area. After deregulating a portion, quarantined area spans to 73.86 square miles in Cameron County.

09/22/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Harlingen quarantined area. After deregulating the portion, quarantined area spans to 108.17 square miles in Cameron County.

09/22/2022.  The Hargill Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area falls under Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

09/08/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in Harlingen-Lyford- Weslaco Tri-county Quarantined Area. After deregulating the portion, quarantined area spans to 152.69 square miles in Cameron County.

09/01/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Brownsville quarantine area. After deregulating a portion, quarantined area spans to 82.47 square miles in Cameron County.

08/25/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in Harlingen-Lyford- Weslaco Tri-county Quarantined Area. After deregulating the portion, quarantined area spans to 274.64 square miles in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

08/18/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Brownsville quarantine area. After deregulating a portion, quarantined area spans to 96.28 square miles in Cameron County.

08/11/2022. The Harlingen-Lyford- Weslaco Tri-county Quarantined Area is hereby modified by deregulating a portion in previous Harlingen, Lyford and Weslaco quarantine areas. After deregulating a portion, quarantined area spans to 437.18 square miles in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

08/03/2022.  The Palmview Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area falls under Hidalgo County.

08/03/2022.  The Zapata Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area falls under Zapata County.

06/30/2022. The Harlingen-Lyford- Weslaco Tri-county Quarantined Area is hereby established by merging and expansion in previous Harlingen, Lyford and Weslaco quarantine areas. This new quarantined area expanded to 508.15 square miles in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

06/01/2022. The Harlingen-Lyford- Weslaco Tri-county Quarantined Area is hereby established by merging and expansion in previous Harlingen, Lyford and Weslaco quarantine areas. This new quarantined area expanded to 506.06 square miles in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

06/01/2022. The Hargill Quarantined Area is hereby established. This new quarantined area expanded to 91.12 square miles in Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

05/13/2022. The Harlingen/Lyford Quarantined Area is hereby established by merging and expansion in previous Harlingen and Lyford quarantine areas. This new quarantined area expanded to 416.84 square miles in Cameron and Willacy Counties.

05/02/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 245.02 square miles in Cameron county.

05/02/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 153.74 square miles in Cameron county.

05/02/2022. The Lyford Quarantined Area is hereby established. This quarantined area spans  to 113.85 square miles in Willacy county.

04/07/2022. The Weslaco Quarantined Area is hereby established. This quarantined area spans  to 70.99 square miles in Hidalgo county.

04/04/2022. The Palmview Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 265.93 square miles in Hidalgo county.

03/30/2022. The Palmview Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 162.68 square miles in Hidalgo county.

03/22/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 190.44 square miles in Cameron county.

03/22/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 132.16 square miles in Hidalgo county.

03/22/2022. The Zapata Quarantined Area is hereby established. This quarantined area spans  to 57.5 square miles in Zapata county.

03/01/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 170.35 square miles in Cameron county.

02/10/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 126.21 square miles in Hidalgo county.

02/10/2022 The Bayview Quarantined Area in Cameron county is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502.

01/21/2022. The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 157.06 square miles in Cameron county.

01/21/2022. The Brownsville Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This quarantined area has expanded to 76.59 square miles in Hidalgo county.

01/21/2022. The Palmview Quarantined Area is hereby added to the quarantined areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area spans 62.61 square miles in Hidalgo county.

01/12/2022.The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby modified. This Quarantined Area has increased to 150 square miles in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties.
10/13/2022.  The Harlingen Quarantined Area is hereby removed from the quarantined areas and core areas in Rule §19.502. This quarantined area falls under Cameron County.

2021 Chronology   Maximize  
2020 Chronology   Maximize  
2019 Chronology   Maximize  
2018 Chronology   Maximize