Olive Fruit Fly

We are pleased to let you know that the USDA has recently released thousands of beneficial wasps in California to help control the Olive Fruit Fly. This wasp is harmless to people and pets and it has shown to be very effective in controlling this pest. To read more about this wasp, we have provided a web-link to USDA's website under the "Related Links" section below.

It will probably take a few years for the wasps to distribute around the State. In the interim, there is a pesticide product that has become available for home use that targets the olive fruit fly. GF-120 NF Naturalyte has a supplemental label that allows the product to be used on "any tree". This pesticide is approved for use in organic farming systems. The product is made by Dow AgroSciences and the EPA registration number is 62719-498.

Please note our office does not endorse or recommend one pesticide product over another. At this time, our office is unaware of any other product labeled for home use settings that specifically targets the Olive Fruit Fly. This information has been provided to give the homeowners in this county a tool to help combat this nuisance pest. If you choose to spray for the Olive Fruit Fly, always read all pesticide label requirements and precautions and follow the directions closely.

Olive fruit fly has two generations each year, one in spring and another in late summer. To protect olive fruit, a constant monitoring and control program may be necessary. Be sure to only spray your trees when the pest is present!

For more information about olive fruit fly, you may want to visit the following websites under our Related Links.