As gardening season blooms across California, officials with the California Department of Food and Agriculture are urging residents to take action to prevent the introduction of invasive fruit flies and other pests, which can threaten backyard gardens and the state’s robust agricultural landscape.

Invasive fruit flies are tiny pests no bigger than a grain of rice that can infest and ruin over 250 types of produce. They lay their eggs under the skin of produce, where the developing maggots tunnel and feed, making it unfit for human consumption.

Following an unprecedented spike in fruit fly detections in 2023 and 2024, California established several quarantine areas to slow the spread of these harmful insects. Now, as Californians eagerly return to their gardens this spring, CDFA is reinforcing the importance of prevention to keep destructive pests out of the state.

As California residents look to freshen up their garden or cultivate their first garden, CDFA is offering best practices residents can follow to help protect their backyard harvest, including:

Do not bring or ship produce, plants or other natural materials into California from other states or countries, as they could unintentionally spread destructive pests.

Purchase plants, produce, seeds or other natural materials from local, licensed nurseries and retailers. To find a licensed nursery near you, visit CDFA’s Directory of Licensed Nurseries. 
Learn what to look for, inspect homegrown produce for signs of invasive fruit flies or maggots and report findings to the CDFA Pest Hotline at 1(800) 491-1899.

While it might seem harmless to receive these items via mail from unverified sources or from unlicensed retailers, the most common pathway for these invasive pests to enter the state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables shipped illegally or brought back by travelers from areas where the flies are native. The pests’ presence in California could limit residents’ ability to grow produce at home, while causing irreversible damage to California’s agricultural industry.

Two invasive fruit fly quarantines remain in California, a Mediterranean fruit fly quarantine in portions of Alameda and Santa Clara counties and an Oriental fruit fly quarantine in portions of Orange County.

For residents living in the existing quarantine areas:

Please do not move homegrown fruit, vegetables or soil from your property, as it could unknowingly spread invasive fruit flies to other properties or neighborhoods.

Support agriculture crews working to protect your garden.

Remove mature produce or produce that has fallen to the ground by double bagging and disposing in the regular waste bin, not the green waste bins.

“Protecting California from invasive pests requires collaboration and vigilance,” said Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “Whether you grow your own produce or simply enjoy California-grown fruits and vegetables, we all have a role to play in preserving the health of our agriculture and environment.”

By working together and taking simple steps this spring, crops grown in residential backyards and California’s agricultural industry can thrive for years to come. Learn more at CAFruitFly.com or StopInvasivePests.com.