Fruit Fly

At this moment the Mediterranean Fruit Fly is only declared in the local government area of Serpentine Jarrahdale.

In partnership with the University of WA the PHBG have monitored fruit fly numbers across the Shire of SJ from 2020 to 2021.

Click the link above to visit the projects information page.

Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) Ceratitis capitata

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) Ceratitis capitata is a declared pest due to its being a serious horticultural pest in Western Australia. It attacks and damages a wide range of cultivated fruits and some fruiting vegetables.

The female fly lays eggs into ripe fruit and a resulting larvae infestation occurs damaging the fruit.

Damaged fruit infected with medfly larvae can appear bruised with broken fruit flesh. Both fruit on the ground as well as in the tree are at risk of Med fly larvae.

Good maintenance of fruit trees can prevent the infestation and spread of Fruit Fly. Procedures such as removing any unwanted or non-commercial trees, removal and disposal of fallen fruit from the ground, removal of unwanted fruit from the tree to reduced breeding sites, and the proper disposal of infected fruit to prevent the breeding cycle from continuing.

There are traps available to monitor for the presence of Fruit Fly and several different control options available.

Control

Home made fruit fly traps are easy to assemble and can be made with everyday ingredients. Some commercial traps offer control over many months.

Monitoring

Monitoring is an essential part of a fruit fly control program and can provide information on seasonal abundance patterns and hotspots.