PORT OF HUENEME : Fruit Inspector Has Eyes Peeled for Crawly Pests

When agricultural inspector Jerry Mason last examined fruit imported to an American port in 1969, he would occasionally find tarantulas hiding in the bunches of bananas unloaded in the Port of Miami.

Newly arrived this month at the Port of Hueneme, Mason has yet to find any pests--crawly or otherwise--in the cargo he has examined since starting his new assignment Oct. 4.

“The way they handle bananas nowadays, everything is in boxes with plastic lining and chilled to 56 degrees,” Mason said. “Once you get that cool, you’re not going to get much damage from eating or egg-laying. Times have changed.”

Mason’s assignment to the Port of Hueneme as a permanent full-time inspector is the result of years of lobbying by local officials, who say his presence is crucial to expanding the port’s business.

“This is one more step in getting full services for all of our customers,” said William Buenger, the port’s deputy executive director.

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley)--credited by port officials as being instrumental in persuading federal agricultural officials to assign Mason to the port--said the hiring would help stimulate trade.

“Having an inspector just brings greater opportunity to promoting the port to agricultural shippers,” Gallegly said Tuesday.

On duty at the port, Mason, 51, keeps his eyes peeled for fruit flies, Africanized honey bees and Asian gypsy moths as he opens 40 to 50 sample crates of fruits and vegetables from each ship’s cargo that arrive from other countries.

Mediterranean fruit flies are among the most dangerous pests in this area because they breed so quickly, Mason explained. “You can get three generations in one summer’s breeding season. With each female laying 100 eggs, even if only 50% reach maturity, you quickly have a whole lot of flies.”

Opening a box of bananas, Mason picked one up, examined it closely for possible scale insects, and cut into the end of the fruit looking for telltale signs of insect damage.

His mission is simple, Mason explained during a tour of the port facility. “We try to make sure what is brought in is free of hitchhiking pests or their eggs.”