Current fruit fly outbreaks
- Thevenard area - an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit fly (Med-fly) was declared on 19 January 2019.
View Thevenard outbreak information and maps - Loxton area - an outbreak of Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) was declared on 7 December 2018.
View Loxton outbreak information and maps - Ceduna area - an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit fly (Med-fly) was declared on 14 June 2018.
View Ceduna outbreak information and maps
Recently eradicated fruit fly outbreaks
Fruit fly has been eradicated and quarantine restrictions lifted in the:
- Kilburn area - quarantine restrictions lifted on 18 December 2018.
Learn how to keep your area fruit fly free.
We respond to fruit fly detections and outbreaks to protect South Australia.
Fruit fly detection and reporting methods
Fruit flies can be detected from:
- trapping sites around South Australia
- members of the public reporting larvae in fruit to us through the 24 hour Fruit Fly hotline: 1300 666 010.
There are trapping sites in:
- metropolitan Adelaide
- the northern Adelaide Plains
- the Adelaide Hills
- the Riverland
- Port Augusta
- Ceduna
- Pt Lincoln
We use additional traps in the area if fruit flies are detected. We also check fruit trees for fruit fly larvae if detections are made.
Below are the conditions required for an outbreak to be declared.
How and when fruit fly outbreaks are declared
A Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) outbreak is declared when any of the following occurs:
- 5 male or non-pregnant female flies are trapped within 1 km within a rolling 2 week period
- 1 pregnant female is detected
- 1 or more larva are detected in locally grown fruit.
A Mediterranean fruit fly (Med-fly) outbreak is declared when any of the following occurs:
- 3 male or non-pregnant female flies are trapped within 1 km within a rolling 2 week period
- 1 pregnant female is detected
- 1 or more larvae are detected in locally grown fruit.
What we do once an outbreak is declared
In the event of an outbreak we:
- define a quarantine area of 1.5 km radius from which host fruit cannot be removed
- ensure no host fruit or vegetables, other than preserved or cooked is removed from properties in the area
- establish a suspension zone of up to 15 km within which host fruit is treated before removal
- destroy all fruit on infested trees in the eradication area
- undertake bait spotting
- release sterile fruit flies
- continue to apply bait spotting for at least 2 weeks.
Bait spotting to attract and kill fruit flies
We use bait spotting to destroy fruit flies in an outbreak.
Spots of organic fruit fly bait are applied onto plants once or twice a week for several weeks. The baits attract and kill the fruit flies.
The bait is made with Naturalure™ fruit fly bait concentrate diluted with water. Naturalure™ has been certified as organic by Biological Farmers of Australia.
Treatment and disposal of host fruit and vegetables
We visit properties within 1.5km of the outbreak centre and remove, treat and dispose of fallen host fruit and vegetables
When and why we use sterile male fruit flies
For some responses we breed and release sterile male fruit flies into the quarantine area. The decision to release sterile flies is:
- made in consultation with entomologists
- based on the time of year a detection occurs
- based on the number of flies discovered.
After bait spotting is complete we release 1,000,000 sterile flies per square kilometre. We do this once or twice a week for up to 12 weeks. The sterile flies mate with wild females who then lay infertile eggs. This prevents the fruit flies from breading and spreading.
The sterile flies are produced at the Sterile Insect Facility in Port Augusta.
Contacts
Biosecurity SA Fruit Fly Program
Email: PIRSA.planthealth@sa.gov.au
Phone 24 hours: (08) 8207 7820
Fruit Fly Hotline: 1300 666 010