September 20, 2023

APHIS issues fruit fly quarantine in California

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have established an Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Santa Clara County, California.

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The quarantine includes portions of the cities of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and is in response to confirmed detections of five adult male and one unmated adult female Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis or OFF).

Oriental fruit fly infestations can ruin more than 400 types of fruits and vegetables. Photo by Stephanie Gayle, USDA-ARS.

The flies were found in various sites in Santa Clara and neighboring Sunnyvale by CDFA from July 24 to Aug. 24. On Aug. 25, CDFA confirmed another male in Sunnyvale and an additional unmated female OFF in Santa Clara. All were from traps in various types of fruit trees in residential areas.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of OFF to non-infested areas of the US. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is establishing a 112 square-mile quarantine area in Santa Clara County. There are 26.5 acres of commercial agriculture in the quarantine area, including citrus, apricots, and cherries.

APHIS is working with CDFA and the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Division to respond to the detections following program survey, treatment protocols and regulatory responses. The quarantine area is on the APHIS website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. For additional information on the Oriental fruit fly quarantine area, reach Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.

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