Queensland Fruit Fly

About fruit flies I Impact of QFF l Fruit fly management zones l Life cycle I Surveillance and prevention I Information for residents I Review of fruit fly in Victoria I Media releases I Further information

Latest Information

Map of management zones
Fruit fly outbreak information
Information for residents

Market access boost for Sunraysia citrus
Citrus fruit growers in the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area (PFA) have been granted an annual window of opportunity for exporting their fruit to Japan without the need for cold treatment to control fruit fly.

After demonstrating that the region is fruit fly-free and that appropriate surveillance is in place, the PFA now has Area Freedom status for the period from June to December for exports to Japan. This means that citrus which is picked and packed in the PFA during this period, and which conform to Japan’s stringent import requirements, will not require treatment for fruit fly before or during shipping.

Previously, Sunraysia fruit had to be transported to Shepparton for 16 days of cold disinfestation treatment before being exported. This added about $4 per case to the production cost, as well as impacting on the quality and shelf life of the fruit.

The PFA project is led by DPI Victoria, in collaboration with DPI NSW, the citrus, table grape and stonefruit industries, and Horticulture Australia Limited.

About fruit flies Only two species of economically important fruit flies occur in Australia. One of these is the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) which permanently inhabits the growing areas of Western Australia. The other is the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni) (or QFF), which permanently inhabits parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and the eastern corner of Victoria. QFF is the primary fruit fly of concern in Victoria. The impact of Queensland fruit fly Queensland fruit fly is one of the world's worst horticultural pests. It attacks a wide range of hosts plants, lowering production and making fruit inedible, with severe consequences for local and international trade.

Adult Queensland fruit fly

High-risk plant materials

Host list for Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly (PDF 37KB)

To view this document you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat, available from the Adobe website (external link).


Travelling within Victoria - fruit fly management zones

In addition to the following information, zone locations and advice to travellers can be found on the map of QFF management zones (PDF 516KB).

Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone
The Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone (FFEZ) includes the key fruit production areas of Sunraysia, the Mid Murray and the Goulburn Valley, along with the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of New South Wales and the Riverland of South Australia.

Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, the Commonwealth and several industry bodies agreed to establish the FFEZ to allow exports of horticultural produce from the area to fruit fly sensitive markets within Australia (Victoria, NSW, SA, Tasmania and WA) and overseas. The FFEZ has also been successful in opening up important new markets for citrus and stone fruit in the USA, New Zealand and South East Asia. Some of these markets (eg.USA) will not accept fruit unless it is from such pest free areas.

Movement of QFF host fruit into the FFEZ is generally prohibited. Signs on major roads indicate when you are entering the FFEZ, and that you must dispose of any host fruit in roadside quarantine bins. Visitors to the FFEZ cannot use receipts or tax invoices to authorise the entry of host fruit into the zone.

Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area
The Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area (PFA) is a new zone located within the FFEZ and has been established to provide greater fruit fly control measures for the high-value horticultural crops (including citrus, table grapes and stone fruit) grown in the area.

The PFA is a collaborative project between the Victorian and NSW Governments, the citrus, table grape and stone fruit industries, and Horticulture Australia Limited.
PFA brochure (PDF 1.2MB)

Movement of QFF host fruit into the PFA is generally prohibited. Signs on major roads indicate when you are entering the PFA, and that you must dispose of any host fruit in roadside quarantine bins. Visitors to the PFA cannot use receipts or tax invoices to authorise the entry of host fruit into the zone.

For more information, visit Pest Free Area for a Greater Sunraysia (external link)

Permanent Fruit Fly Zone
Fruit fly is endemic in a large part of eastern Victoria known as the Permanent Fruit Fly Zone (PFFZ). The PFFZ is declared as a Restricted Area under the Act and includes the city of Wodonga. Fruit fly host fruit must not be moved from the PFFZ into other parts of Victoria.

DPI does not currently conduct fruit fly eradication programs within the PFFZ.


The life cycle of Queensland fruit fly

As with most insects, there are four stages in the life cycle:

1.	Egg - Eggs are white in colour and banana-shaped. They are unlikely to be seen by householders.
2.	Larva (maggot) - Soon after the eggs have been laid, a small maggot emerges from each. Maggots have cutting jaws which help to tear the fruit into pieces small enough to swallow. Maggots tend to eat towards the centre of the fruit. This also promotes rotting of the fruit, although it may look perfect from the outside. When the maggot has completed growing, it chews its way out of the fruit, which by then has usually fallen, and burrows into the soil.
3.	Pupa - In the soil, larvae become inactive and change into oval, brown, hard pupae, in which adult flies develop.
4.	Adult (fly) - After hatching, adult flies find a food source. After feeding, the flies mate and each female then searches for ripening fruit which she punctures and lays her eggs. The punctures are very small and can usually only be recognised by an experienced person.

Surveillance and prevention program in Victoria

Surveillance and control
Adult fruit fly activity can be monitored by using traps containing synthetic attractants. The most commonly used attractant or lure is Cuelure, which only attracts male Queensland fruit flies. Traps are placed in the shade of the canopy of host trees and the contents checked on a weekly basis during the fruit fly season and then fortnightly during the winter months.

If enough flies are detected an outbreak is declared. Once this occurs, the boundaries of the quarantine area or outbreak zone are defined. Other suspension areas are declared for the movement of host product out of these areas to other states. Eradication activities following an outbreak can be directed at either the eggs and larvae in the fruit or at the adults. They include the destruction of infested fruit and removal of wild or neglected fruit trees.

Control measures also include cover sprays and bait sprays. Cover sprays (systemic insecticides that will also kill immature stages present in fruit) are not generally used for the control of Queensland fruit fly in an outbreak situation . Bait sprays, which are comprised of a mixture of protein, water and an insecticide, can be 'spot' sprayed into various sites in an orchard.

If the outbreak is in an urban area, trees on private properties may be sprayed with bait to control the population of adult flies. In some situations, an integrated bait and sterile insect technique (SIT) program can be used as an alternative to baiting only. SIT involves releasing large numbers of sterile Queensland fruit flies into the outbreak area to outnumber the pest (or 'wild') flies, which minimises fertile matings and reduces the population of wild flies.

Eradication
When no fruit flies have been trapped within an outbreak zone for a prescribed period, the outbreak is considered to be eradicated and the zone can be reinstated as being free of fruit fly. The length of the prescribed period depends on the time of year when the last fly was caught and how this relates to the speed of the fruit fly's life cycle ie. it is generally not a set amount of time.

Prevention
Quarantine measures such as inspection of fruit and vegetables entering or leaving areas, assist in preventing the further spread of fruit flies. There are fruit disinfestation methods such as cold or hot temperature treatments which can be used to allow the sale of fruit outside the outbreak area.


Information for residents

In all districts of Victoria, residents can help to control fruit fly by correctly managing fruit fly host plants and fruit on their properties.
See Fruit fly and the home garden (PDF 850KB)

In most areas of Victoria, DPI will respond to reports of suspected fruit fly detections by confirming the identification of the suspect sample and, where appropriate, conducting an eradication program. Residents are encouraged to report suspected detections, or neglected host trees, by telephone (136 186) or email (plant.standards@dpi.vic.gov.au).

However, residents of the Permanent Fruit Fly Zone - see also QFF management zones (PDF 516KB) - should note that DPI does not currently conduct fruit fly eradication programs in that zone.

Residents will be notified when an eradication program is to be conducted in their area and when baits have been applied on their property.
Example of resident notification (PDF 106KB)

Information about baiting treatments used by DPI:
Naturalure: information sheet (PDF 203KB)
Naturalure: Material Safety Data Sheet (PDF 47KB)
Canite suppression blocks (PDF 94KB)

Sterile fruit fly releases
Sterile Queensland fruit flies can be released into an outbreak area to outnumber the pest (or 'wild') flies, which minimises fertile matings and reduces the population of wild flies. This method, known as Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), is normally used to complement a baiting treatment.

To find out more, see Information about sterile fruit fly releases (PDF 34KB).


Review of fruit fly in Victoria

22 July 2009

In 2008 DPI commenced a formal review of fruit fly management in Victoria. Significant progress has been made in analysing options which will help determine the future management of this pest.

DPI is now finalising a strategic analysis of its involvement in fruit fly management in the Victoria and will be meeting with key industry stakeholders to present its findings. DPI’s main aim is to seek input into the most effective management strategies for this pest and how best to ensure market access for Victorian fruit and vegetable producers.

The release of the Kalang report (Review of Fruit Fly Management in Victoria and Options for Future Management) has stimulated significant discussion amongst most fruit-producing groups. At the close of the industry consultation period in mid-April 2009, DPI had received nine submissions from industry groups on the report. While industry feedback did not overwhelmingly support the adoption of the review’s main recommendation, it was clear that most industries consider the fruit fly program, the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone and maintaining market access to be vital.

During the industry consultation period, senior staff from DPI’s Plant Standards Branch and the Economics Branch developed a Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) on the current fruit fly program and on the alternative management strategies presented in the Kalang report. Importantly, the BCA aimed to identify the key beneficiaries of the program. The preparation of the information included in the BCA was a complex process involving input from technical and industry experts from Victoria and other parts of Australia.
The BCA is now ready for industry comment and a briefing has been scheduled for Friday 21 August 2009.

The briefing will include industry feedback on the Kalang report, as well as a presentation on the BCA and further work to be undertaken by DPI as part of this review. Peak industry bodies have been invited to attend this important meeting.

More information can be obtained from:
Gary D’Arcy
Senior Fruit Fly Policy Officer
ph. (03) 9210 9392
email gary.darcy@dpi.vic.gov.au


Media releases

Fruit fly program to resume (PDF 63KB) (Word 49KB) 21/09/09
Fruit fly season on the horizon in northern Victoria (PDF 38KB) 10/09/09
Help swat fruit fly out of Gippsland (PDF 30kb) 10/09/09
Help swat fruit fly out of Shepparton (PDF 56KB) 01/06/09
Pink flies help to fight fruit pest (PDF 39KB) 01/05/09
Wonthaggi fruit fly outbreak eradicated (PDF 37KB) 15/01/09
Carrum Downs fruit fly outbreak eradicated (PDF 37KB) 15/01/09
Flemington fruit fly detections send a reminder (PDF 38KB) 09/01/09

For media releases relating to new fruit fly outbreaks, go to Fruit fly outbreak information


Further information

What to do if you suspect you have Queensland fruit fly on your property
If you think that you have found Queensland fruit fly, or to obtain further information, contact DPI on 136 186 or email us at plant.standards@dpi.vic.gov.au

External Information
To find out more about Queensland fruit fly, visit: