In early 2007, light brown apple moths fluttered from their Hawaiian roots and said aloha to the mainland. By 2010, the dogged little tourists landed in Sacramento County. Now they won’t leave.

Sacramento and 18 other counties receive federal funds to battle infestation, which are most prevalent locally in parts of North Highlands and Galt, the Delta agricultural region and several production nurseries. County agricultural officials say the little buggers infest about 200 fruit crops, causing defoliation and negative economic impacts to our local farming-to-forking industry.

In the past year, the county received nearly $90,000 for quarantine efforts, which include monthly nursery inspections and monitoring the movement of nursery plants and green waste outside quarantine zones.

So far, the moths haven’t taken over. But it looks like they’re staying.