06/09/98 - Bradenton and Umatilla Mediterranean Fruit Fly Update - DACS

Provided by Dr. Marion Fuller
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

Report Dated 06/08/98

Bradenton

Two more flies were picked up in the core area yesterday. I believe these flies were on property where larvae have been detected, and where the property owner has denied access for treatment. These finds likely represent adults emerging from pupae on site.

3057 traps are in service in the area: 2658 Jackson, 86 McPhails, and 313 panel traps.

Aerial application is scheduled to begin Wednesday night, beginning at (or around) 10:00 pm. Two aircraft (DC3s) will be making the application. Again, because of night time flying, and FAA regulations, the planes will be flying at an altitude of 500'. This higher altitude and faster air speed results in an increased buffer around sensitive sites - to 300 meters, as compared to 100 meters in Umatilla, with helicopters flying during the day (lower altitude, slower air speed).

The treatment area is being divided into three flight zones - all of which will treated on the treatment night, weather permitting, and barring any mechanical difficulties. This will allow program staff to inform both residents and reporters which areas will be treated first, which have been completed, and provide information on the general location of the treatment aircraft.

Ground applications will continue in the buffered areas (the 300 meters around "sensitive" sites) that are not treated with direct applications by air.

Environmental Monitoring: The following sites have been tentatively identified by USDA/FDACS/DEP for exclusion from direct bait application:

Health Monitoring: Project managers have tentatively identified Blake Hospital and Manatee Memorial Hospital as sites that will be excluded from direct bait application.

Both the FDACS Helpline and the DOH Hotline are receiving an increased number of calls following the announcement that aerial bait treatments are necessary. The majority of these are informational. DOH will continue to provide followup on all cases reporting symptoms.

NOTE: I've had several calls asking whether an injunction has been filed to prevent the aerial treatment. At this time, I know only that one group has indicated their intention to do so.

Umatilla

No flies have been picked up since May 19th.

The sixth aerial bait treatment was completed Saturday morning. One more treatment has been approved by EPA, to take place this Saturday, June 13th. I believe that this will be the final treatment (representing the fourth treatment, and completion of treatment for one life cycle following the last detection on May 19th), provided no additional flies are detected.

There are currently 4470 traps deployed: 3418 Jacksons, 797 panels, 206 McPhails, and 50 IPTs.

Environmental Monitoring: The following results are from lake water samples taken Saturday, May 30th - after the fifth aerial bait application.

Umatilla: BDL (Below detection level)
Enola: BDL
Bay: 1.1 ppb
Yale: 0.5 ppb
Gibson: 0.9 ppb
East Lake: 0.4 ppb
So. Twin: 0.1 - .03 ppb (Between MDL and PQL)
Crescent: BDL
Palm: 1.3 ppb
Geneva: 15 ppb

Malaoxon was not detected in any of the samples. Both the MDL (minimum detection level) and PQL (practical level of quantitation) remain unchanged, at 0.1 and 0.1 ppb respectively.

Drift card sampling for the same treatment show:

Health Monitoring: No report

Again, Thanks to all the folks that are assisting us (FDACS/USDA) in this program.

FDACS - Division of Plant Industy: Mediterranean fruit fly information
USDA APHIS: Mediterranean fruit fly information
UF/IFAS Fact Sheet ENY-809: The Mediterranean Fruit Fly
UF/IFAS Fact Sheet ENY-626: Mediterranean Fruit Fly: What Floridians Need To Know

The UF/IFAS Pest Alert WWW site is at: http://pestalert.ifas.ufl.edu/