Peach fruit fly found in Fresno backyard

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A destructive pest is posing a serious threat in Fresno County. It's a tiny insect called the peach fruit fly that's native to south and south-east Asia.

Fresno County isn't taking any chances when it comes to the peach fruit fly. The fly is small but it is destructive in numbers. Infestations ruin fruit, from roughly 50 kinds of trees as well as a few kinds of vegetables.

"They lay their eggs on the skin of the fruit, the eggs hatch and the larvae burrow in and feed on the inside of the fruit," said Les Wright, the county Ag commissioner.

So far, only one has been found. It flew into a trap on the eastern edge of Fresno in a neighborhood, filled with growing fruit, in backyards and front yards of homes.

Wright said, "If anyone is harvesting fruit off their trees or gardens right now, and they cut it open and find little eighth inch, quarter inch, white worms inside, don't throw it away, bring it in, we need to know where this pest is."

A Fresno woman didn't want to show her face on camera, but she has a large garden, she's been working on for two years. She hasn't noticed any problems but she is concerned.

"It would be bad, because all the time we spent on it and like I said before, all the water wasted that we don't have right now."

To keep the fly from spreading the county has started setting traps in an 81 square mile radius. If more pop up, Wright says quarantine would follow and that would be a big problem for growers.