Text · page 1 of 4
This document was a scan. Its text was produced by character recognition and may contain errors; check the original for exact wording.
USDA Animal and Plant HealthiInspection Service U:S: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Questions and Answers 2025 European Cherry Fruit Fly Survey in New York What is the European cherry fruit fly (ECFF), and why is What do the traps look like? it a threat? The yellow panel trap is a rectangular cardboard trap ECFF (Rhagoletis cerasi L.) is a serious pest of cherries. The coated on both sides with a mixture of a nontoxic glue and fly damages ripening fruit, causing it to rot and fall off the a food bait. The traps are about 9 inches long and hang tree. In heavily infested areas, the fly can destroy all vertically in trees. ripening cherries if left uncontrolled. The pest can spread Do the traps really catch the fruit flies? to new areas through the transport of infested fresh cherries, soil, or fruit from host plants. The U.S. The trap helps detect new infestations and monitors the Department of Agriculture (USDA) first found European insect’s spread. It is not meant to catch fruit flies to reduce cherry fruit fly on traps hung along the Niagara River in populations. New York’s Niagara County in 2017. How do the traps work? What is the ECFF survey? Adult fruit flies are attracted to the ammonium acetate USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) food bait that’s on the trap. If the flies land on the trap, and New York’s State Department of Agriculture and they will get stuck in the nontoxic glue. APHIS and NYS AGM Markets (NYS AGM) will hang approximately 2,000 traps service the traps at least every 2 weeks to replace the bait across Western and Central New York, which is under and collect insects. quarantine for ECFF. APHIS will also hang traps outside the If a trap is in my area, does that mean ECFF is there? ECFF quarantine in areas that are at higher risk for the No. If you see a trap in your community, it does not mean ECFF is present. It just means we are looking for ECFF in your area. The goal of the survey is to determine where the insect is and monitor its spread. What were the results of the 2024 survey in New York? The 2024 survey found 78 ECFF in 21 trap locations. These results helped guide decisions on trap placement for the 2025 survey. Where will traps be set this year? For the 2025 season, surveyors will place traps along the edge of the quarantined areas in Western and Central New York. APHIS will also hang traps in selected areas in Michigan and Pennsylvania. How can | help? Please allow APHIS and NYS AGM surveyors access to your property to place and check traps. Residents with questions can contact the ECFF program office by calling 1-800-249-2363 or emailing [email protected]. Learn more at www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/ecff. USDATs an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. February 2025