Widespread fruit fly outbreak in Adelaide

October 2020

A new fruit fly outbreak was declared last month in Klemzig after several Mediterranean fruit flies were found in traps by PIRSA staff as part of their surveillance activities.

Affected suburbs include Greenacres, Hampstead Gardens, Klemzig, Hillcrest, Manningham, Marden, Vale Park and Windsor Gardens.

Executive Director of Biosecurity Nathan Rhodes said this outbreak represented a relatively thin strip of land between the two existing outbreak areas in Blair Athol and Campbelltown.

"With the seven other outbreaks across Adelaide in Campbelltown, Pooraka, Semaphore Park, Rosewater, Angle Park, Croydon Park and Blair Athol, we have been mindful that the eradication effort is not yet over and it’s possible that a small number of flies will overwinter (similar to hibernation) during this response and emerge as the weather warms" he said.

"Citrus is the main fruit fly susceptible fruit in gardens at the moment, so now is the time to check any fruit on your trees - including oranges, mandarins, lemons and limes - for bruising or maggots, and report anything unusual to the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010.

"It’s also a good time to make sure your garden is tidy, picking up any fallen fruit off the ground and removing any unwanted fruit from your trees and placing it in your green bin, to help break the fruit fly life cycle.

"It is critical that residents follow our advice and do not move any fresh fruit or fruiting vegetables from their properties - including giving it away to family, neighbours and selling it online, as moving fruit can potentially spread this pest."

He said PIRSA teams were applying organic bait and checking fruit in the Klemzig outbreak area with a view to include the area in the Sterile Insect Technique program, starting in September.

"The SIT program will see up to 12 million sterile flies released per week into the outbreak areas and a surrounding buffer to combat any wild flies that might remain in those suburbs," he said.

"We have a 100 per cent 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 it is anticipated the quarantine in Klemzig will be lifted on December 23.