Current Insect and Disease Quarantines in Santa Clara County

Current quarantines

Oriental fruit fly (OFF)
Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)

Please note: The oriental fruit fly quarantine overrides the ACP guidelines if you're in the OFF quarantine zone.

Oriental fruit fly

Quarantine on fruits and vegetables

The oriental fruit fly has been detected in Santa Clara County.

A large portion of Santa Clara County is under quarantine for the oriental fruit fly (see map or check your address).

Oriental fruit flies are a little larger than house flies. They damage fruit and vegetables by laying eggs inside them which hatch into maggots. They pose a huge threat to California's fruit industry. The insects often get into California when fruits and vegetables are illegally brought back from elsewhere in the world.

If you suspect you have found an oriental fruit fly or maggot in your fruit or vegetables, call the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Pest Hotline: 1-800-491-1899. How to identify an oriental fruit fly

The quarantine will lifted if the eradication program is successful.

What the oriental fruit fly quarantine means

To prevent the spread of oriental fruit flies via infested home-grown fruits and vegetables, residents are urged not to move any fruits from their property, including vegetables that are botanically fruits. Examples of vegetables that are fruits are tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and any type of melon.

Consume or process fruits and vegetables on the property where they were grown. Examples of processing include cooking, juicing, freezing, dehydrating, and grinding in a garbage disposal. Processed food may be shared with others, including outside the quarantine zone.
Dispose of fruits and vegetables by double-bagging and sealing them in plastic bags, then place in the garbage bin.
Pick up all fallen fruit, double-bag, and place in garbage bin.

DO NOT

Do not share unprocessed fruits and vegetables with others.
Do not compost fruits and vegetables at home.
Do not leave fallen fruit on the ground.
Do not put fruits and vegetables in municipal green waste.

More information: Invasive Fruit Fly Frequently Asked Questions, California Department of Food and Agriculture

Community gardens

Fruits and vegetables can be consumed on site at the garden or may be taken home for personal consumption. They may NOT be given away or sold to neighbors, friends, relatives, or customers unless processed (as noted above).

Common fruits and vegetables

For anything not listed here, see the full list of possible host plants

Included in quarantine

Not included

Fruits
All stone fruits (like peaches, plums, apricots, cherries)
Apples, pears, grapes
All citrus fruits
Avocadoes, persimmons, mulberries
Ornamental fruits

Vegetables
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash

Fruits
Raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, blueberries
Kiwis

Vegetables
Leafy vegetables (like lettuce, kale, chard)
Root vegetables (like beets, carrots, radishes)
Cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower)
Corn, peas, beans, pumpkins

Asian citrus psyllid

County-wide quarantine on citrus fruits, leaves, and trees; also Indian curry leaf and other hosts

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) has been detected in Santa Clara County as well as other parts of California. This insect pest can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB) that is devastating for all citrus trees. Efforts are focused on slowing the spread of this insect as much as possible. The disease has not yet been found in Northern California but has been detected in Southern California and other parts of the country. Much of California, including Santa Clara County, is under quarantine for the ACP insect.

Indian curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) can also host this insect, so it's included in the quarantine as well. See a list of all possible hosts.

The UC IPM Quick Tips on the Asian Citrus Psyllid explains the relationship between the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the HLB disease, how to recognize the different stages of the ACP insect how the HLB disease affects citrus and the many ways that the insect can accidentally be transported into California. See also Residental ACP Management Strategy for more details and photos.

If you think your tree has HLB or if you find the Asian citrus psyllid, call the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Exotic Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899 to confirm a find.

What the Asian citrus psyllid quarantine means

Clean fruits can be moved out of the quarantine zone

Homegrown citrus fruit totaling less than 25 pounds and that is clean of all stem and leaf material can be moved out of the quarantine area. Washing the fruit is a good extra precaution to take.

Plants and fruit can be moved within the quarantine zone

Plant material (whole plants, leaves) from backyard citrus or curry leaf plants may be transported within the quarantine area.

Plants can NOT be moved out of the quarantine zone

Plant material other than fruit (whole plants, leaves) from backyard citrus or curry leaf plants can NOT be transported out of the area. However, it CAN be put into local green waste collection.

Last updated: November 2023