Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) has recently been found in several locations in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island areas of British Columbia. These are the only areas in British Columbia where the pest has been found, based on an annual survey throughout southern B.C. conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Every effort must be made to keep this serious pest from spreading to the interior of B.C.

	Male apple maggot fly. Photo courtesy Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
	Apple maggot larvae in apple. Photo courtesy Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Quarantine Regulations:

CFIA is exploring regulatory options to implement in consultation with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, stakeholders and industry groups.

To help prevent the spread of apple maggot to other parts of B.C., please contact the CFIA at 604-557-4500 if you are planning to move apples, apple trees or other host plants with soil, or nursery stock of apple, crabapple or hawthorn, out of the Fraser Valley. Soil under or adjacent to infested host trees may contain apple maggot pupae, thus any plants removed from the site with soil pose a risk of moving the apple maggot.

For more information on domestic movement and import regulations, please refer to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency policy directive D-00-07. 

Further Information:

• Control of Apple Maggot in Commercial Apple Orchards in BC

• Apple Maggot (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

• Policy Directive D-00-07 - Requirements for movement of fresh fruit and plants that can host apple maggot into British Columbia from other areas of Canada, USA, and Mexico (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

• A Guide to Managing Tree Fruit Pests in the Home Garden (PDF, 224KB)

• Protecting Backyard Apple Trees from Apple Maggot – Extension Bulletin 1928 (Washington State University)

• Stop Apple Maggot (Pest Alert, pdf format)