Fruit fly outbreak in Glynde

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) is urging residents in the affected area to follow quarantine requirements, which include keeping home-grown fruit and vegetables on their properties.

This new outbreak was declared after Queensland fruit fly maggots were found in home-grown peaches by a Glynde resident who notified PIRSA. Glynde and surrounding suburbs are impacted. Check the outbreak map to see if you are affected.

PIRSA staff, easily identifiable by their orange overalls, will be visiting households to apply an organic bait to foliage and check fruit for signs of fruit fly, including maggots.

Learn more about quarantine requirements in the red outbreak area.

PIRSA Acting Director of Biosecurity Operations, Con Poulos, said anyone moving fruit can spread this pest, so it is critical that people in the 1.5 km red outbreak zone or 15 km yellow outbreak zone follow all quarantine restrictions.

“I’m confident in our proven control methods for successful eradication, but it is vital that the community in the affected area does not move any fresh fruit or fruiting vegetables from their properties,” Mr Poulos said.

“This includes immediately stopping all instances of giving home-grown produce away to family, neighbours, and selling or giving it away online.”

Mr Poulos also said that it was crucial to report anything unusual to the Fruit Fly Hotline: 1300 666 010.

“A reminder to families and students returning to school next week, fruit and vegetables purchased from supermarkets are not impacted and can still be transported to schools in lunchboxes. However, fruit in your garden are perfect hosts for fruit fly to lay their eggs in and must not be moved from your property if you are in the outbreak area,” Mr Poulos said.

“Now is the time to check any fruit on your trees, including stone fruit, for bruising or maggots.”

He urged people in the affected area to pick up any fallen fruit off the ground or ripe fruit from your trees – thereby breaking the fruit fly life cycle – and put it in your green bin.

“Our teams will be applying organic bait and checking fruit in the Glynde outbreak area, with a view to extending our Sterile Insect Technique program to the area,” Mr Poulos said.

“We have a strong success rate of eradicating fruit fly, and we want to keep it that way, but we need residents to follow our advice and help us by giving easy access to their yards.”

If no further wild flies or larvae are detected, PIRSA anticipates the quarantine in Glynde will be lifted later this year.

You can visit fruitfly.sa.gov.au for further information, a detailed map, and further advice on quarantine restrictions in outbreak and suspension areas.