Fruit Fly
UPDATED 6 MARCH 2023
FRUIT FLY UPDATE: A new Queensland fruit fly outbreak has been declared in Winkie after maggots were found in plums on a non-commercial orchard.
π Check http://ow.ly/T3IM50N9go1 to see if you're living or working in the π red outbreak area and what you need to do.
π Keep fruit on your property – do not share, sell or give it away.
π± PIRSA staff will be visiting red outbreak area properties to provide advice, apply bait and check fruit for fruit fly. Please provide us access to your garden or block.
π
Pick your ripe fruit and vegetables.
π Check your fruit for blemishes and maggots.
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Collect fallen fruit, seal it in a bag and call the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010 for advice – do not compost or bury.
π¨βπ³ Cook your fruit – preserve, bake, juice, blend or freeze it.
DO NOT put any fruit in any green waste bin
Red Outbreak Area | Yellow Suspension Area | Green Pest Free Area |
---|---|---|
DO DON’T Do not put fruit waste in your kerbside green bin or general kerbside red waste bin.* Do not take it to the Council’s Waste Transfer Station *FOR NOTING: Berri Barmera Council does NOT accept ANY fruit and vegetable waste in the kerbside green bin. This applies beyond fruit fly restrictions. The Council is exploring green waste processing options to allow this in the future. | DO DON’T Do not put fruit waste in your kerbside green bin.* *FOR NOTING: Berri Barmera Council does NOT accept ANY fruit and vegetable waste in the kerbside green bin. This applies beyond fruit fly restrictions. The Council is exploring green waste processing options to allow this in the future). | DO |
What are fruit fly?
While there are a wide range of insects that you might find in your garden, both pests and beneficial species, the larvae (or maggots) of fruit flies are amongst the most despised for the way they can turn some fruits and vegetables into a soft, mushy mess. The adult female fruit fly lay eggs in the flesh of ripening and ripe fruits and vegetables. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to feed within the fruit, causing it to rot and drop to the ground.
Fruit fly outbreaks in areas that are normally free of these pests can cause hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lost income and eradication costs. Controlling fruit flies can be a major expense for large scale commercial producers, leading to higher prices for consumers. Infested fruit is not suitable for sale, therefore reducing orchard productivity. In severe cases, entire crops can be made worthless. The imposition of interstate and international quarantine conditions either limits market access opportunities or makes it more expensive.
As an area that can be affected by fruit fly, we need to be aware of the measures required to limit exposure and how to deal with disposing of fruit and vegetables effectively.
With recent outbreaks, our region was zoned into different colours to provide guidance on the purchase and disposal of fruit and vegetables. Although some of these restrictions have eased, because the Renmark West and Pike River outbreaks continue, the Berri, Cooltong and Monash townships are now in yellow suspension areas.
Fruit should not be taken into green areas from a yellow area, and it cannot be brought back into a yellow area if it has been in a red area and all residents are reminded to place their food scraps in their red bins only.
LINKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION
Below are some helpful hints to find out
- which zone do you live, work or are visiting
- which fruit and vegetables are affected by fruit fly
- the life cycle of fruit fly and how you can prevent them in your garden
Travel restrictions for fruit and vegetables in South Australia and Riverland
South Australia has restrictions on what fruit, vegetables, plants and plant products can be brought into the State and Riverland.
Restricted fruit and vegetables cannot travel with you into the Riverland. This is important to protect Riverland growers.
To avoid an unnecessary fines, check the travel restrictions for fruit and vegetables before your travel to our region and plan to stop at a local shop to buy your fresh fruit and vegetables.
You will be fined if you are caught travelling into the Riverland with restricted fruit and vegetbables. To see what are restricted, please click on image below.
These restrictions are ongoing and are not related to any fruit fly outbreak restrictions.
Check the Riverland Pest Free Area map.
PREVIOUS UPDATES
UPDATED 6 FEBRUARY 2023
- Two new fruit fly outbreaks have been declared this week in Winkie and Lyrup
- Check the map on the fruit fly website to see how restrictions affect you.
- Riverland shoppers can now move fruit and vegetables purchased at a Riverland store freely across all fruit fly affected areas, with an itemised receipt.
- More Waikerie residents will have the opportunity to replace their unwanted backyard fruit trees for free as PIRSA extends the application period for its voluntary tree replacement pilot program to 17 March 2023
UPDATED 27 JANUARY 2023
UPDATED - 2 August 2022
ORANGE OVERALLS - What Fruit Fly Officers do in your garden in a red outbreak area
If you live in a red outbreak area, you will be visited by Fruit Fly Officers who will assess your garden and what you grow to determine if you need regular treatments to help prevent fruit fly.
Visits from Fruit Fly Officers
Fruit Fly Officers will knock on your door and talk with you about what you are growing and explain what is needed in your garden. The types of fruit and vegetables you are growing will be recorded and based on what is at risk of fruit fly, they will continue to regularly visit your property during the restriction period.
When Fruit Fly Officers visit they may:
- check your fruit and vegetables for fruit fly
- apply safe organic bait or traps
- collect and dispose of fallen fruit and vegetables
Fruit Fly Officers work for the Government of South Australia in the Biosecurity section of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia.
All Fruit Fly Officers are fully trained, have official photo ID and will be wearing orange overalls.
Allow access to your property
Please allow easy access to your front and back gardens so Fruit Fly Officers can do their work quickly.
If you have dogs, please keep them restrained.
If you have any concerns about Fruit Fly Officers on your property, please call the Fruit Fly Hotline onβ―1300 666 010.
To learn more, please visit PIRSA website
UPDATED - 10 June 2022
In addition, maggots in home-grown apples and pears in the Loxton North B and Loxton North C outbreak areas have extended those red outbreak and yellow suspension area boundaries. Part of Loxton township is now in red outbreak as a result. Impacted localities include Loxton and Loxton North.
Restrictions now apply within the extended 1.5 km red outbreak and 15 km yellow suspension areas, so check the outbreak map to search your address.
Fruit fly officers in orange overalls from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) will be applying bait and checking fruit in the newly affected areas, and continuing their work in all other outbreak areas.
Any further enquiries, please contact PIRSA on 1300 666 010