Know Your Pests: Spotting the Oriental Fruit Fly
With California’s Invasive Species Council summit coming up October 1st and 2nd in Sacramento, the state is using the lead-up to make sure Californians know some of the unwanted visitors they should be watching for.
One of them is the oriental fruit fly.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture says this invasive pest attacks hundreds of fruits and vegetables. And this isn't just a theoretical concern. Portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties are currently under quarantine following detections.
So, what are you looking for? The adult fly is a little larger than a house fly, generally bright yellow with a dark T-shaped marking on its abdomen. But you may notice the damage first. Females lay eggs beneath the skin of fruit, where larvae feed as they develop, causing fruit to soften, rot or drop early.
If established, the pest could mean crop losses, higher management costs and problems moving California agricultural products.
If you spot a suspicious fly or find maggots inside fruit, don't move it. Take a photo and report it to CDFA.
And because a picture really helps, visit CDFA’s Planting Seeds blog to see what you’re looking for: https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/index.php/2026/09/22/know-your-pests-oriental-fruit-fly/
