Queensland Fruit Fly situation – October 2018

The usual spring increase in Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) captures commenced during the fortnight prior to 13 September 2018. During October the peak declined to very low numbers again by the end of October. This spring peak and trough occurs every year in the Goulburn Murray Valley (GMV) and many other places around eastern Australia.

The 2018 spring peak for the GMV, where a maximum of 132 flies were trapped in the week prior to 5 October 2018 was much less than that of 2017 with 306 flies trapped in the week prior to 28 September 2017. This is a positive trend and may be due, largely, to community activities such as baiting, trapping, netting and QFF host plant removals.

This report was produced by Andrew Jessup and incorporates an analysis of regional trapping data supplied by the GMV Fruit Fly Project.