Invasive Pest Oriental Fruit Fly Puts California County Under Quarantine Following Reports of Smuggled Dangerous Fruit

A county in California has been placed under quarantine after locals smuggled potentially infested and considered dangerous fruit, which led to reports of sightings of the invasive pest known as the oriental fruit fly.

Invasive Pest Oriental Fruit Fly in California

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the Oriental fruit fly, also known as Bactrocera dorsalis, is a ravenous pest that may eat up to 400 different kinds of vegetables and fruits, including some of California's most valued commodities.

According to a news release from Santa Clara County on September 6, 112 square miles of the county, including all of Santa Clara and parts of Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose, and Sunnyvale, are currently under quarantine because of the invasive brown-and-white fly. According to the press statement, the quarantine will probably continue until June 2024.

Although it's not known when or how the pests got there, the Department of Agriculture stated that uninspected produce is how they often enter California. Residents within the quarantine boundary are asked to keep any homegrown products on their property, according to the announcement.

However, these vegetables and fruits may still be eaten or processed but only within the farm where they were grown.

Residents are encouraged to double bag and seal their homegrown vegetables before dumping them in conventional trash containers rather than green ones.

Santa Clara County Quarantine

In August 2023, Santa Clara County reported the discovery of the tropical fly, which is native to southern Asia. To use an "attractant technique," the California Department of Food and Agriculture is currently spraying "splotches of bait" on trees and utility poles in parts of Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, and San Jose. This will attract and kill the tropical male flies. Every few weeks, CDFA staff will keep using pressured spray guns to fire this mixture 10 feet into the air.

It's not the first time the Bay Area's tech hub has engaged in combat with an Asian fruit fly.

According to a statement from the Agriculture Department, Santa Clara County has had many detections and eradications of this particular fly over the past ten years. In reality, authorities verified that it was only recently found in the area.

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Smuggled Infested Dangerous Fruit

Two San Jose residents have been charged with smuggling langsat, a "dangerous fruit," into the country and shipping it to Tracy's Gift Shop, a small shop housed in a South Bay strip mall, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. To dodge inspection, 200 pounds of the yellow, grape-like clusters were discovered and labeled on the container as dried fish, coffee, or tea.

Fruit being distributed by one of the defendants was found to be "heavily infested" with fruit fly larvae after authorities seized and tested the fruit.

According to District Attorney Jeff Rosen, this is reckless and serious behavior because these flies can ruin crops if they spread. The farms in this county are at risk, as are the food prices for everyone.

The current infestations are the result of fruit being brought into California illegally. All Californians are urged by officials not to bring back any fresh produce from their travels.

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