The first alarm was sounded on the ourfigs.com forum several years ago. Now the larvae of the Black Fig Fruit Fly (Silba adipata McAlpine) has been found from Santa Barbara south to at least Orange County. The photo above is from Santa Monica. If your unripe figs appear misshapen or prematurely dark or soft, please cut them open and check for larvae.
After a flurry of interest and trapping, the state and county have basically given up on trying to control this pest. Figs are not a big-money crop in California. So it is left to us amateurs to try and figure out our options.
It is definitely worth joining the forum at ourfigs.com as its members are actively engaged in tracking the infestation and hunting down solutions. The fly has been endemic in other parts of the world so there is some research available.
12 Comments
Ellen Maisen · July 26, 2021 at 1:42 pm
I have been checking the figs here for about 6 weeks, I have found some sunburnt figs and some with squirrel bites, but none with tunneling and I have seen no wiggling worms but I am going to keep checking. I am in Valley Center CA, unincorporated San Diego County near Riverside county border, kind of isolated but there are lots of caprifigs here so that may be a vector. We have had ripening breba and the squirrels are actively eating the fruit as usual so I don’t see a difference this year, but I am collecting and bagging all fruit that is damaged and allowing nothing to touch the ground. See the above link on “Ourfigs “, or this one for ongoing activity https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/1002499-urgent-psa-for-all-california-growers
Chef Edward · April 11, 2023 at 10:07 pm
Can you send me some of them figs?
David Lappen · August 1, 2021 at 9:15 pm
We have been growing Mission figs successfully for maybe 15 years. This year is different. We have a lot of fruit on the tree, but they turn dark when still very small and hard and fall off. I have inspected the dropped fruit and seen no signs of the fruit flies or larvae. Other neighbors have reported the same phenomenon. It hasn’t been incredibly hot here, nor have I watered much differently than in the past. Any ideas?
RUTH HOFFMAN · September 5, 2021 at 1:24 pm
We appear to have a problem with the figs at our Community Garden. Little flies are entering the ass of the fig and making it soft and not edible. Also, the figs are cracking. I can send pictures if you like. We are in San Diego, Ocean Beach.
Brett · November 6, 2021 at 7:38 pm
Yes, I’d be interested to see the pictures of the fig problems.
Joseph · July 17, 2022 at 11:41 pm
Yes, I have this infestation in my fig tree. I’ve been eating from it for 35 years with no problem. I live in Thousand Oaks and now this week, I’m getting these under-ripe, dry figs that are turning purple early. There are 1 or more of these little larva inside. They wriggle and immediately try to get out of the fig. Gross. I wish I knew a treatment for them.
Kevin · July 7, 2023 at 4:23 am
Hi Joseph, I live in Thousand Oaks and I’be been growing and eating black mission figs for around 7 years. This year I notice the figs are wrinkly and soft and dry inside. Have you found a solution for this ?
Thank you!
Tim Peters · April 29, 2024 at 9:36 pm
almpst amything with larvae like that, worm like, can be possibly delt with using some formulation of “ivermectin”, “abamectim”, amoung other things, and still be edible. Serious. Adjuvamts, surfactants, penetrants, carriers, and such orders of substances decide a lot about where things go and what they do, …but seriously, limited time systemic activity in the plant that will knock the troublers out. look at
Nancy Bowden · August 27, 2023 at 2:39 pm
Help! I haver worms on my fig . What happens if you ear them? I’m in moorpark ca 93021
Christy Garner · February 25, 2024 at 9:30 am
Has anyone noticed that the closed eye fig varieties are faring better with the Black Fig fruit fly? Or any other varieties that seem to be notably resistant? I’m doing a large planting of figs this season and would love to build on the collective wisdom of our CRFG community.
Jean · January 3, 2025 at 9:41 am
My Mission Fig crop was destroyed last year, each fig full of worms. My honey fig was spared. Normal Heights 92116. This year I plan to try netting over the ground (to try and keep them from flying up), and bagging each tiny fig as soon as I see them. I tried netting the entire tree last year, but I was maybe too late.
Terence Welch · January 27, 2025 at 11:43 am
Since we found the Black Fig Fly larva early in the season, we treated our 100 figs at an organic farm in Hollister, CA this past season (2024). We sprayed the same as we spray our cherries for SWD. Twice each week, we apply GF120 per the label instructions. We applied as a bait spray on each side of the row. Stopped when the weather went cool, highs below 70 F. Worked like a charm!