EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 03 - 2015 Num. article: 2015/049

Ceratitis capitata found again in Chile


In February 2015, the NPPO of Chile (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero) officially announced that Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae – EPPO A2 List) has been detected on its territory. This is not the first time that C. capitata is detected in Chile but all previous outbreaks had been eradicated, and since 1995 the country has been officially considered as free from the pest. On 2015-01-27, a single female was caught in a trap located in the city of Iquique (Tarapacá region). A few days later, another specimen was caught in the surroundings. On 2015-03-10, it was announced that a single female was caught in a trap located in the city of Talca (Maule region). On 2015-03-25, another finding was reported near a bus terminal at La Serena (Coquimbo region). In this area, further surveys detected more specimens. As of 2015-03-30, 11 adults were caught and larvae were found on 9 sites. Phytosanitary measures (e.g. intensive surveys, trapping, insecticide treatments, restrictions on the movements of fruit) have immediately been put in place to eradicate the pest.
The situation of Ceratitis capitata in Chile can be described as follows: Transient, under eradication.

Sources

INTERNET (via PestLens)
Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) website
- SAG declara brote de mosca de la fruta en Iquique (2015-02-06). http://www.sag.cl/noticias/sag-declara-brote-de-mosca-de-la-fruta-en-iquique
- SAG detecta ejemplar de mosca del Mediterráneo en zona urbana de Talca (2015-03-10). http://www.sag.cl/noticias/sag-detecta-ejemplar-de-mosca-del-mediterraneo-en-zona-urbana-de-talca
- SAG despliega campaña de erradicación ante detección de mosca de la fruta, Ceratitis capitata en La Serena (2015-03-23). http://www.sag.cl/noticias/sag-despliega-campana-de-erradicacion-ante-deteccion-de-mosca-de-la-fruta-ceratitis
- Director Nacional del SAG anuncia que más de 90 personas están trabajando para el control de mosca de la fruta (2015-03-30). http://www.sag.cl/noticias/director-nacional-del-sag-anuncia-que-mas-de-90-personas-estan-trabajando-para-el-control.