Black Fig Fly - Wilson Lab @ UC Riverside
Black Fig Fly (Diptera: Lonchaeidae: Silba adipata)
Invasive Fig Pest Recently Discovered in Southern California Has Now Spread to the Central Coast, Bay Area and Central Valley Regions
Click Here to Download the "Pest Alert" PDF (last updated October 2025)
Overview: Fig growers need to be aware of the black fig fly (BFF), an invasive insect that was initially discovered infesting figs throughout southern California in 2021. Since then, the BFF has expanded into the Central Coast, Bay Area and Central Valley regions (see map to the right). To date, BFF infestations have been reported in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Merced, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura. Movement of fig fruits and/or potted fig plants out of these counties is not recommended, as it may lead to additional artificial spread of BFF to other areas of the state. Personnel with University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and UC Riverside are currently working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to further monitor populations, as well as develop improved trapping and management strategies.
Please Do Not Move Figs: California figs are primarily grown in the Central Valley in Madera and Merced counties, with many smaller orchards spread across the state. Movement of fig fruits or potted fig plants out of the infested counties is not recommended, as it may lead to additional artificial spread of BFF to other areas of California.
Reporting the Pest: If you find infested fruit or suspect that BFF may be attacking fruits in your orchard or yard, please reach out to your local UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor (https://ucanr.edu/). If you suspect that you have a BFF infestation in a county not listed above, please report this to your County Agricultural Commissioner and the CDFA Pest Hotline: 1-800-491-1899 (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/reportapest/).
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