Portions of Santa Clara County were placed under quarantine Wednesday to prevent the spread of the oriental fruit fly, an invasive species.
The 112-square-mile area includes the city of Santa Clara and portions of Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose and Sunnyvale.
Under the quarantine, which is expected to last until June, residents are not supposed to move homegrown produce off of their property, although the produce is still safe to eat where it was grown. It can be disposed of in the garbage disposal or double-bagged in trash cans — but not composted.
Oriental fruit flies lay eggs in fruits, and when they hatch, the flies tunnel through the fruit. Some fruit grown in the quarantine area will be unfit to eat if it was a nesting spot for the flies.
Eight of the invasive fruit flies were detected in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, which is what prompted the quarantine, according to the county.
These oriental fruit flies are not native but could have hitchhiked on fruit that residents brought home after traveling, or on produce that arrived by mail.
The fruit fly poses a great threat to California’s agriculture industry, with the potential to cause $19.3 billion of damage, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Crops at risk can include avocados, apples, citrus fruits and tomatoes.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s plan to eradicate the flies includes putting bait, which is lethal to the flies, on high trees and utility poles. The treatments are expected to be ongoing through early March, according to the county.
“We all need to be vigilant in protecting our agricultural and natural resources. Please do not bring or ship any fruits, vegetables or plants into California without ensuring they are permitted by law,” Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Joe Deviney said in a news release.
For the businesses impacted by the quarantine — farms, plant nurseries, farmers markets and other entities selling produce outdoors — Santa Clara County plans to enter compliance agreements so any infested plants do not leave the quarantine area.
Reach Clare Fonstein: clare.fonstein@sfchronicle.com
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Parts of Santa Clara County are under quarantine for invasive fruit flies. Here's what that means - San Francisco Chronicle
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