Fruit fly response in Auckland is about to be stepped up again

As the end of winter nears, Biosecurity New Zealand’s fruit fly response in the Northcote area is about to be stepped up again with the focus on maintaining controls and resuming baiting and more intensive trapping.

An area of Northcote has been under a Controlled Area Notice since 26 April,  restricting the movement of certain fruits and vegetables out of controlled areas to help prevent the spread of any fruit flies still in the area.

Along with the continued movement restrictions, a network of fruit fly surveillance traps which attract male fruit flies have remained in the area over winter and were regularly checked, with the last single male fruit fly detected in the current controlled area on 15 July.

“We signalled at the start of winter that we would be stepping up again about now,” says Biosecurity New Zealand spokesperson Dr Catherine Duthie.

Another Queensland fruit fly is found in Auckland – situation update

Further biosecurity restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Northcote are being put in place, following the find of a third Queensland fruit fly in the area.

The male fly was found in a surveillance trap just outside the A Zone controlled area, but within Zone B, and was around 270 metres away from the last detection in Northcote.

Biosecurity officials say it is disappointing they have found another fly, but the detection is showing the effectiveness of their surveillance programme.

Importantly, they still have no evidence of an established breeding population.