Country: United States

Title:

Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly): APHIS Expands Quarantine Areas in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, California (OPR-40)

Contact:
Catherine Marzolf, National Policy Manager, 386-666-9932 or catherine.a.marzolf@usda.gov

Report:

On September 29 and October 2, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine. These actions resulted in the inclusion of a portion of Alameda County while also expanding the quarantine area in Santa Clara County.

On September 29, APHIS and CDFA expanded the Santa Clara Medfly quarantine in response to the confirmed detections on September 17 of three wild mated female Medflies from traps in a persimmon tree and an orange tree on residential properties in the city of San Jose. This action expanded the quarantine by two square miles and included one acre of commercial agriculture. On October 2, APHIS and CDFA further expanded the Santa Clara Medfly quarantine in response to the confirmed detection on September 23 of one wild mated female Medfly from a trap in an orange tree on a residential property in the city of San Jose. This action expanded the quarantine by 21 square miles and included three acres of commercial agriculture. The amended quarantine encompasses 192 square miles with 47 acres of commercial agriculture, including grape, olive, orange, pepper, stone fruit, and tomato.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Agricultural Commissioners of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains descriptions and maps of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.

Under IPPC standards, Ceratitis capitata is a transient pest under eradication that is present only in one area in California. This species is not widely distributed and is under official control in the United States.

Posted Date: Nov. 25, 2025, 11:48 a.m.