Queensland Fruit Fly Strategy no.7

May 1, 2022 | Gardening tips, QLD Fruit Fly

It is now late April and Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) is abundant, infesting raspberries, guavas and feijoas in particular. Watch out for infestations also in persimmons and tamarillos as they ripen, and later in citrus.

There are three actions to take:

  • Remove any fruit that will ripen indoors such as persimmons, and tamarillos when they begin to colour, and feijoas, and guavas when they are full sized
  • Remove any infested fruit which will in the case of guava look like droopy wrinkly sacks in the case of feijoa have soft, dark patches and holes, and in the case of raspberries you will need to open them and look for a wriggling larvae
  • Pick up any fruit on the ground – these fruit are likely to have QFF larvae in them which will pupate in the ground but are also where Carpophilus beetle lay their eggs, which when hatched become larvae and pupate in the ground like QFF do, and like QFF will destroy your fruit next season

Dispose of all infected fruit by cooking, microwaving or solarising and never bury or put into the compost.

Get ready in May to put out Wild May to attract and kill over wintering male QFF.

Now is the time to prepare for next season. The fewer larvae that pupate in the ground, the fewer adult QFF you will have next season.

Written by Paul Gale-Baker