In this section:
Fruit Fly
Fruit flies are amongst the most destructive horticultural pests' world wide, with some species having the ability to damage almost all commercially grown fruit and fruiting vegetables. The presence of fruit flies significantly affects access to valuable national and international markets.
South Australia does not have an endemic population of any pest species of fruit fly, although it is likely that some species of fruit fly could establish in South Australia if they were introduced but not detected and eradicated.
Eradication techniques include the sterile insect technique.
Current research project
A research project to re-assess the use of the sterile insect technique for the eradication of Queensland fruit fly is currently being undertaken.
More information about fruit fly
Information about the life cycle of fruit fly, how disease outbreaks can be detected and eradicated and what is being done to prevent outbreaks in South Australia is given in the Fact Sheet 'Important information on fruit fly' (.PDF).
Australian SIT Network Newsletters
The genetic status of Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) in Australia is discussed in Medfly in Australia a genetic perspective (.PDF)
You can download the history of fruit fly in Australia:
Fruit Fly history part 1 (.PDF)
Fruit Fly history part 2 (.PDF)
Fruit Fly history part 3 (.PDF)
