APHIS Expands Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Texas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2026-02
January 12, 2026

Subject: APHIS Expands Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Texas 

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On December 30, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded the Peñitas Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens: Mexfly) quarantine in Hidalgo County, Texas.

APHIS and TDA expanded the Peñitas quarantine following the December 22 confirmed detection of one Mexfly larva in a tangerine collected on a residential property in Peñitas. This action expanded the quarantine by 2.96 square miles and includes 100.41 acres of additional commercial citrus. The amended quarantine encompasses 56.14 square miles with 323.68 acres of commercial citrus.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate this transient fruit fly population following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains descriptions and maps of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.

For additional information you may contact: 

Catherine Marzolf 
National Policy Manager 
386-666-9932 
catherine.a.marzolf@usda.gov

/s/

Matthew A. Rhoads 
Acting Deputy Administrator 
Plant Protection and Quarantine