Keep an eye out for the fruit fly this spring

Yarra Valley residents with fruit trees are being asked to be on the lookout for the Queensland fruit fly (QFF) over spring to help prevent its spread into the area.

The QFF is active year round, though populations increase in spring when temperatures rise. They can remain active in autumn and winter in warmer weather.

Yarra Ranges Mayor, Len Cox, said that everyone had a role to play in stopping the spread of the fruit fly.

“The warmer months of the year are critical times for us to be wary of the Queensland fruit fly, and there’s something we can all do to try and prevent this pest from spreading,” he said.

“Residents with fruit trees can prune their trees to a reachable height, harvest fruit quickly and keep an eye out, as the fruit fly looks for ripe fruit to breed.”

Good ways of preventing the spread of the Queensland fruit fly are:

Pruning fruit trees in gardens to a manageable size. Smaller fruit trees are easier to implement fruit fly controls on and are more manageable for home gardeners. Infestation can occur when fruit on high branches are left unharvested. The best time of year to prune fruit trees is in late winter and early spring, when trees are generally dormant. Picking fruit before it falls from the tree. Damaged and fallen fruit can become a refuge for fruit fly maggots. Dispose of all fallen or damaged fruit properly to minimize the risk of spreading QFF. If you have fruit grown in areas where QFF exists and are returning to the area, leave it behind, eat it all or cook it before bringing it into the Yarra Valley to protect the area.

Infested fruit or vegetables can be microwaved to kill maggots. Alternatively, fruit and vegetables can be frozen for two days to kill off maggots and larvae before they are disposed of.

The Queensland fruit fly was detected in the Yarra Valley last summer. Containment and eradication treatments were then put in place by private landowners.

“It’s important that infested fruit is destroyed, so that fly larvae don’t develop into adults and spread across the valley,” Cr Cox said.

What is the Queensland fruit fly and why is it an issue in the Yarra Valley?

The Queensland fruit fly is a horticultural pest, which lays eggs in fruit and vegetables. The damaged fruit and veggies rot inside while the eggs mature into larvae, making the produce inedible and unsaleable. Fruit fly populations can increase in number quickly, and the damage to fruit can extend into neighbouring properties, or even across the region. The Yarra Valley has valuable horticultural production properties and great home gardens with edible produce which is worth protecting.

Agribusiness Yarra Valley and Yarra Ranges Council recently received State Government grants to take actions on the Queensland Fruit Fly, including fly trapping programs delivered by Agribusiness Yarra Valley and Council auditing and removing host trees on public land.

These grants are part of the Managing Fruit Fly – Regional Grants Program.

For more tips on how to prevent and get rid of Queensland Fruit Flies, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au and fruitflyfreeyv.com.au