07/20/98 - Sebring Mediterranean Fruit Fly Update - DACS

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

Report Dated 07/19/98

NOTE: In the last update, I erroneously reported the Department of Health(DOH) hotline as operational for 24 hours on yesterday's treatment day. That line is open from 6:00 am until 8:00 pm on treatment days, with staff prepared to remain if the number of calls warrant it. Today they will be operating from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm, closing earlier if the number of calls warrant. A message will be on the line, informing callers of the operating hours, and who to contact in case of an emergency. My apologies to anyone inconvenienced by the mistake!

Sebring

Yesterday's aerial bait treatment went very smoothly. Three helicopters were used, getting off the ground between 6:20 and 6:30 am, and completing the treatment around 11:30 am. According to Bureau of Compliance personnel, flight data indicate pilots did a good job with cut-offs at sensitive sites. Visual inspection of drift cards at waters edge, and 50 and 100 meters out indicate little if any drift at the two lakes monitored by DACS staff. Note, however, these are preliminary findings and confirmation awaits laboratory analysis. One very minor leak developed in one line during loading, it was contained immediately. (This was described by Compliance personnel as a very minor leak - more like a dripping faucet - that was noticed and contained immediately.)

Ground crews continue to make bait treatments to host materials in buffered areas.

Calls to the DACS Helpline have been very moderate - mostly informational in nature. Of the complaints received, most are related to the inconvenience associated with the logistics of the program.

Similarly, calls to the DOH hotline are largely informational. I am not aware of any health related complaints, but will have more complete information Monday.

Analysis of water data and drift monitoring will be reported as it becomes available.

A fly count will be provided in tomorrow’s update -- my preliminary information is that four more flies were picked up; all within the current treatment area (no expansion needed). This is very tenuous, as it is still early in the delineation of the infestation. Additionally, reading the traps is complicated somewhat by the sterile flies now being released in the Tampa - Venice corridor (some of which do make their way to Sebring).

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/