California

A portion of San Diego County has been placed under quarantine for the Mexican fruit fly following the detection of six flies and one larva in and around the unincorporated area of Valley Center. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) are working collaboratively on this project.

The Mexican fruit fly can lay its eggs in and infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, severely impacting California agricultural exports and backyard gardens alike. For more information on the pest, please see the pest profile at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/MexFly. Residents who believe their fruits and vegetables may be infested with fruit fly larvae are encouraged to call the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.

A portion of Los Angeles County has been placed under quarantine for the Oriental Fruit Fly following the detection of 14 flies in the San Fernando Valley in the North Hills area. To prevent the spread of fruit flies through homegrown fruits and vegetables, residents living in the quarantine area are urged not to move those items from their property. However, they may be consumed or processed (i.e., juiced, frozen, cooked, or ground in the garbage disposal) on the property where they were picked or disposed of by double bagging and placing in the regular trash, not green waste. Residents with questions about the project may call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899. Additional information may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off.

A state exterior quarantine has been declared to prohibit the introduction of the spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, into California. Spotted lanternfly was first detected in North American in 2014 in Pennsylvania and has now spread to nine states. The quarantine prohibits the entry into California of SLF, its host plants, and a variety of articles, including conveyances, originating from any area where an SLF infestation exists.

If you believe you have seen the spotted lanternfly, please contact CDFA's Invasive Species Hotline at 1-800-491-1899, via Report a Pest, or by contacting your local County Agricultural Commissioner.

Multiple federal, state and local agencies have been notified of an invasive algae species discovered in Newport Bay, California. The algae, which is native to Florida and other subtropical and tropical locales, is scientifically known as Caulerpa prolifera. It can grow quickly, choking out native seaweeds and potentially harming marine life through lost habitat.

A similar species of invasive algae, Caulerpa taxifolia, was identified in California in 2000 and was successfully eradicated through a comprehensive joint local, state and federal effort in 2006. Due to the similarity between these two species, scientists believe this algae species may pose a serious threat to our local coastal ecosystems.

However, it is imperative that the public avoid contact with the plant due to its extreme ease of recolonizing from just tiny fragments. If you believe you have seen this invasive algae, please complete a Suspect Invasive Species Sighting Report: Invasive Algae - Caulerpa prolifera. Please do not collect a specimen, as this may lead to further spread.

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing that effective today, we are transitioning our virulent Newcastle disease (vND) efforts in southern California from a response focus to implementing a prevention plan aimed at keeping vND from recurring in the region. Even with extensive testing taking place, APHIS has not confirmed any new vND cases since February 1, 2020. As a result, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is removing its vND quarantine.

The goals of the California Invasive Species Action Week (June 3-11, 2023),  are to increase public awareness of invasive species issues and promote public participation in the fight against California's invasive species and their impacts on our natural resources.

Prevention is the most effective strategy in managing invasive species. However, hundreds of invasive plants and animals have already established in California and are rapidly spreading each year. These invaders are negatively impacting our waters, our native plants and animals (some of them rare, threatened, or endangered), our agriculture, our health, our economy, and our favorite recreational places. Help us celebrate California's Invasive Species Action Week, and more importantly, help stop the spread of invasive species, by volunteering to take action.

Learn how invasive species are affecting California, with Invasive Species Action Week Lunchtime Talks. Webinars are part of California Invasive Species Action Week, organized by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. Webinars were recorded and available for viewing.

Landowners, we need your help: CDFW has deployed nutria survey teams from the Delta through the San Joaquin Valley and needs written access permissions to enter or cross private properties for the purposes of conducting nutria surveys and, where detected, implementing trapping efforts. Landowners and tenants, see Nutria: The Triple Threat to California's Future [PDF, 598 KB]; so CDFW can survey for and remove destructive nutria from your properties, complete and submit the Nutria Project Temporary Entry Permit [PDF, 207 KB].

The Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening (Huanglongbing) could be a death sentence for California citrus trees - but with support from California residents, we can save the citrus trees that we all know and love.