The Mediterranean fruit fly, a serious pest of peaches, citrus, and other tropical fruits, and a limited number of vegetables, has tuice invaded the State of Florida. So far as is known the only area in the world from which this pest has been eradicated has been Florida. The present program can not be considered completed at this time insofar as eradication is concerned; however, there is every reason to believe that eradication will be accomplished. No specimens have been found in Florida since the recovery of a single adult fly on August 7, 1957, in Hillsborough County, 37 days after the last previous capture. This is the longest fly-free period since the program began last year. The insect assuredly was eradicated in its first invasion in 1929, with specimens being found for a period of a little over 15 months and eradication declared complete in the 18th month. There are some similarities between the 1929-30 campaign and the 1956-57 campaign. The first invasion was noted when maggots were discovered in grapefruit in April, 1929. Likewise, the second invasion came to light with the discovery of Medflies, again in grapefruit, and also in April, but in 1956. One big difference between the two invasions was that the first was found in Orlando and throughout predominately rural sections of central Florida; whereas, the second infestation was found in Miami and in other heavily populated metropolitan areas, such as St. Petersburg and Tampa, as well as in rural citrus-growing areas. It is believed that the Medfly, regardless of the means of control used, would be more difficult to eradicate from urban than from rural areas due to the many problems encountered in eradication treatments in heavily populated sections. Federal and State appropriations in the first campaign amounted to approximately $7,000,000; whereas, approximately $10,000,000 had been expended by the end of June, 1957, on the second eradication attempt. At the peak of the eradication campaign, there were approximately 6,000 employees engaged in the first fight as compared with less than 800 on the state and federal payrolls in the 1956-57 campaign. During the first campaign a maximum of 12,645 traps was used as compared with 50,267 in 1957. Much more effort was devoted to fruit cutting as a means of detection in the first campaign than in the second. The fruit fly was found in 20 counties in 1929 and in 28 counties in 1956. Road blocks were used in both campaigns; however, they were much more stringent in the 1929 outbreak and were manned by the National Guard, which, as far as is known, is the only instance wherein the National Guard participated in enforcing plant quarantines. The road blocks in the 1956-57 campaign were discontinued as soon as heavy infestations had been cleaned up in the metropolitan areas, and in lieu thereof a patrol system
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Nov 1, 1967
R C Garrett 
Open Access