Fruit flies are a major pest, not only because they damage production but also because of their impact on domestic and international trade. Fruit fly management and control have two quite separate objectives.

1. Fruit fly management is all about producing a marketable crop
2. Control is focussed on applying a phytosanitary measure to meet the biosecurity requirements of trading partners

A range of management tools can be used to produce a pest free crop. These include exploitation of fruit fly biology and behaviour, chemical controls, food-based and parapheromone lures, sterile insect technique and physical barriers. Integrated pest management (IPM) for fruit flies involves combining two or more of these strategies, improving overall effectiveness.

In contrast, accessing markets that have biosecurity barriers to trade requires a much higher level of certainty. Either probit 9 (ensuring 99.9968% mortality) or probit 8.7 (ensuring 99.99% mortality) are likely to be used as a standard, ensuring that the risk that pests are present is virtually zero. Accessing fruit fly sensitive markets often requires a postharvest kill step, or proof of pest freedom, to ensure there is minimal risk to the importing region.

Postharvest control strategies to achieve market access requirements include cold, heat, irradiation, fumigation and combinations of these treatments. Application is independent from actual infestation levels, the probability of establishment in the market, or other factors likely to limit risk to the importer.

This publication is focused purely on objective 1 – producing a marketable crop.

Without this, there is little purpose to progressing towards objective two!

In this booklet we have aimed to combine published literature, experimental data, the knowledge of experienced fruit fly management practitioners and commercial practices to provide a practical manual for fruit fly management.

The guide is split into sections on:

• Fruit fly species
• Lifecycle and movement in the landscape
• Monitoring and trapping
• Protein baits
• Male annihilation
• Cover sprays
• Sterile insect technique
• Parasitoids and other biological controls
• Protected cropping, from glass to netting
• Field hygiene
• Area Wide Management (AWM) and IPM

Insecticides were once the major fruit fly management tool of choice. However, with increasing concern about pesticide residues in food and the environment, and dwindling access to insecticides, it is essential that growers understand their fruit fly foe. Whereas once we may have sprayed first and asked questions later, we now understand the value of combining different control strategies to manage fruit fly pests.

The integrated fruit fly management toolkit therefore includes a range of different control strategies. These can include cover sprays (applied according to the label) where pest pressure is high.

To use these strategies effectively, growers need to know where fruit flies are, how they behave, and the best ways to manage these incredibly damaging pests. This will ensure that fruit and fruit vegetables are not only fruit fly free but grown with care for human health and environmental sustainability.

First published January 2017
Second, revised edition, July 2024

Acknowledgment: The original Fruit Fly Management for Vegetable Growers was produced as part of project VG13042 New in-field treatment solutions to control fruit fly (2). This was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the vegetable research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government.

This new edition has been revised and expanded to include information for fruit growers. The revision has been funded by:

• NSW Local Land Services (through the Early Needs Recovery Program which is part of the $150 Million Primary Industry Support Package co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments)
• Agriculture Victoria Fruit Fly Strategy grants program