FIGHTING FRUIT FLY

THEY’RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO THE WORLD’S CROPS — BUT ON YOUR PATCH, WITH A BIT OF EFFORT, THEY CAN BE MANAGED

Words Steve McGrane

Fruit flies are the arch enemies of fruit and vegie growers around the world. Though active by day, they’re often hard to spot — but you can just about always see where they’ve been. Bruising or other skin blemishes may indicate that fruit or vegetables have been stung by a fruit fly. It’s the larvae that do the real damage. Flies lay their eggs in fruit and when the larvae hatch they consume the fruit, causing decay and fruit drop. So how can we protect our beautiful fruit and veg from being spoilt by these insects? VARIETIES OF FRUIT FLY Of the hundreds of varieties of fruit fly in Australia, two — possibly three if you include the compost gnat — are considered significantly destructive. • Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni) is native to the east…

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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, 15.2

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