- Author: Cherie Shook
The invasive pest spotlight focuses on emerging or potential invasive pests in California. In this issue we are covering the Mediterranean fruit fly.
Mediterranean Fruit Fly Facts
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, commonly called Medfly, attacks more than 260 different plant species. It can be especially damaging to mango, citrus, grapes, and stone fruits. The Medfly originated in Africa and has spread around the world, becoming one of the most destructive agricultural pests. Despite recent successful eradication efforts in California, Mediterranean fruit fly was detected in Alameda County and prompted a quarantine in September 2024.
The adult Medfly is...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Indoor food waste bins (also known as kitchen bins or compost bins) have become a popular addition to Californian homes. They are a great way to collect food scraps and divert food waste from landfills, but they can sometimes attract pest insects like maggots, ants, and fruit flies. Below are some tips for keeping a pest-free food waste bin:
- Empty and clean indoor food waste bins frequently. Dump the food waste into your outdoor compost pile, drop it off at a composting facility, or place it into your municipal green waste bin. Emptying your indoor bin frequently (even if it's not full) can make it less attractive to pests and...
- Author: Belinda Messenger-Sikes
The invasive pest spotlight focuses on emerging or potential invasive pests in California. In this issue we are covering the Oriental fruit fly.
Oriental Fruit Fly Facts
The Oriental fruit fly (OFF) is an invasive pest that attacks over 230 crops including citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables, and berries. The short life cycle of the OFF allows rapid development of serious outbreaks, which can cause severe economic losses. Heavy infestations can cause complete losses of crops. Fruit that has been attacked may be unfit to eat as larvae tunnel through the flesh as they feed. Fungi and bacteria enter, leaving the interior of the fruit a rotten mass. Infested fruit does not always...
Seven invasive fruit fly quarantines are in place throughout California. If you live within one of these quarantine zones, fruits and vegetables should not be moved off the property they were grown on. Quarantines are in place for the Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, tau fruit fly, and Queensland fruit fly. Smuggled, illegally imported fruit is the most common pathway of fruit fly entry into California.
These fruit flies lay their eggs under the skin of many crops, making their detection difficult. Females of some species can lay 1,000 eggs in their lifetime. Once eggs hatch, larvae (maggots) feed on the inside of the fruit. Infested fruit drops to the ground where larvae leave the fruit to burrow into the soil to...
- Author: Michael Hsu
QFF quarantine in LA, Ventura counties among seven fruit fly quarantines statewide
Residents in multiple Southern California and Northern California counties should not move homegrown fruits and vegetables from their properties to help contain several species of fruit fly that can destroy crops and impact the livelihoods of local farmers.
With sharing and gifting of food integral to the holiday season, the California Department of Food and Agriculture is reminding people to heed the seven active fruit fly quarantines aimed at controlling the
