San Diego County officials say they'll start another round of treatments to eradicate Oriental fruit flies today in Carlsbad. The flies can damage fruits, vegetables and plants. KPBS Environmental Reporter Ed Joyce has details.
The county agriculture department says two male Oriental fruit flies were trapped in the La Costa area in Carlsbad on September 9.
The flies can attack and ruin more than 230 different types of fruit.
They also destroy plants and vegetables.
Dawn Nielsen with the County Department of Agriculture says the first round of treatments were successful.
The treatments are food mixed with pesticide.
Nielsen says the mixture is applied to poles and trees to kill the flies before they mate.
Nielsen:
It has been 100 percent effective. We haven't found any more Oriental fruit flies. There will be a total of four treatments - each one about two weeks apart.
Damage from the Oriental fruit fly happens when the female lays eggs inside the fruit.
The eggs then hatch into maggots that tunnel through the flesh of the fruit making it unfit to eat.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
