World’s worst fruit pest detected in South Perth & Como, residents urged not to use FOGO to get rid of fruit
The Department for Primary Industries and Regional Development is responding to the detection of a “damaging fruit pest” in South Perth and Como.
The Queensland fruit fly, also known as Qfly, was detected by surveillance traps the department placed in regions to provide early warning to prompt the state’s eradication efforts.
DPRID officers will now inspect street trees and trees on residential and commercial properties in South Perth and Como and apply an organic bait designed to attract and kill the pest.
Qfly is available in other parts of Australia but is not established in WA.
Qfly infects a wide variety of fruits and some fruit-bearing vegetables, including tomatoes, capsicum and capsicum.
Vincent Lanoiselet, the facility’s chief biosecurity officer, said a quarantine area and measures will be announced to help stop the spread of the pest. More information will be provided to affected landowners to support eradication efforts.
As a general rule, ripe and fallen fruit and fruiting vegetables should be destroyed by solarization to kill any possible Qfly maggots.
DPRID said this could be done by storing the fruit in the sun in a black plastic bag, disposing of it in the general waste bin and not in the food organics and garden organics bin.
Dr Lanoiselet said DPIRD had successfully eradicated 10 previous Qfly outbreaks in Perth, including the most recent pest infestation in Willagee and surrounding suburbs last year.
“The tremendous support from society and industry is critical to the success of these eradication campaigns,” Dr Lanoiselet said.
“The community is encouraged to call and report suspicious Qfly, which is six to eight millimeters long, has a red-brownish body and yellow markings, a dark brown abdomen and light wings.
“Reports of suspicious Qfly, including maggots in fruit, particularly tomatoes, peppers and capsicum, can be made via the MyPestGuide Reporter app or DPIRD’s Pest and Disease Information Service at padis@dpird.wa.gov.au.”
