Fresh cherries infested with invasive European cherry fruit fly found at Detroit Metro Airport
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists intercepted fresh cherries that were heavily infested with European cherry fruit fly maggots on June 19 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
"This was an excellent interception by our agriculture specialists," Port Director Fadia Pastilong said . "This pest can pose a major threat to cherry orchards in the Midwest."
The maggots and pupae were found during secondary inspection of a 5-pound bag of fresh cherries. The traveler who had the infested fruit was arriving from Romania, with intentions to go to Fish Creek in Door County, Wisconsin. That's a major tart cherry producing region in the United States with a number of orchards and tourist attractions.
The Detroit Customs and Border Protection staff and U.S. Department of Agriculture specialists made a tentative identification of a European cherry fruit fly, the Border Patrol said. A specialist at the USDA Systemic Entomology Laboratory confirmed the identification in July.
That species is considered the most serious pest among cherries in Europe. As the larvae feed on the fruit, they cause damage and rot that results in an unmarketable harvest.
The European cherry fruit fly can also live among honeysuckle, dogwood and barberry.
Pesticides are among the means of addressing an infestation. Several counties in New York state to help prevent a wider spread of this insect.
In the meantime, the Customs and Border Protection agency urges travelers all fresh food and agricultural items upon arriving in the United States in an effort to prevent the introduction of exotic species.
"The critical nature of the work CBP agriculture specialists perform to protect our agriculture and natural resources cannot be emphasized enough," said Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. "This is yet another example of their diligence and expertise in action."
