Invasive Fruit Fly (IFF)

In late 2023 and early 2024, California experienced an unusually high number of invasive fruit fly (IFF) detections – including the Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, Queensland fruit fly and Tau fruit fly. Notably, many of these IFF detections triggered quarantines across numerous counties in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and County Agricultural Commissioners, initiated local regulatory measures to eradicate these fruit fly species, as they are considered not established in California. Thanks to the vigilance and cooperation of California residents and industry members, a number of the IFF quarantines that were established due to these detections have since been lifted.

Quarantines and their associated regulatory actions are implemented to eliminate the presence of these pests and thus avoid additional negative impacts to growers and the state’s agriculture and natural resources.

For a full overview of IFF pest profiles and current IFF quarantines in California, visit CAFruitFly.com.

Invasive fruit fly populations that have been found in California include: