Fruit fly found in California prompts quarantine. How invasive pest could harm farms, gardens
An invasive species of fruit fly has found its way back to California, causing produce in parts of Los Angeles County to be quarantined.
While the pest has been spotted in the state before, this is the first ever Tau fruit fly quarantine in the Western Hemisphere, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Here’s more about the invasive species, including how they got here and why they are cause for a quarantine:
Quarantine in Los Angeles County
The Tau fruit fly originates from southeast Asia and is thought to have been brought to the unincorporated area of Stevenson Ranch, near the city of Santa Clarita, by way of travelers bringing uninspected produce into the state, the California Department of Food and Agriculture said in a July 25 news release.
The fly is not known to be established in the United States, but was detected in California for the first time in 2016 in San Bernardino County. The fruit fly was brought to the state three more times after that, but was eradicated before any type of quarantine was necessary.
More than 20 flies were spotted in Stevenson Ranch, causing the department to urge residents in the 79 square mile quarantine area to not move any fruits or vegetables from their property in order to prevent spreading them.
The department said the produce can be eaten or processed, but otherwise should be double-bagged and thrown away.
Fruit and vegetables will be inspected and areas will be treated on properties within 200 meters of where the flies were detected, the release said.
What makes the Tau fruit fly different from others?
The yellow and black pests are more than double the size of the average fruit fly, and are similar in size to a housefly, according to the department.
Female Tau fruit flies lay eggs under the skin of fruits, according to the department. They can lay more than 400 eggs in their lifetime, and the eggs typically hatch in one to two days.
The larvae tunnel and feed through the fruit causing damage and decay, “leaving the interior of the fruit a rotten mass,” the department said on their website.
Tau fruit flies have a very wide range of hosts (things they attack, lay their eggs on, mate on, etc.) including fruits, vegetables and even some California native plants.
The department released its first list of Tau fruit fly hosts in 2016 that named 109 plant species. They are considered a significant pest of vining plants including cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and melons.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, “crops at risk include cucurbits, avocado, citrus, tomatoes, and peppers.”
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