103309

A Fruit Fly Inspector interviewing Port Adelaide residents as part of the program to prevent the spread of Fruit Fly, January 1959.

The size of an outbreak in recent years has been markedly reduced as a result of an expanded and more efficient method of detecting outbreaks by trapping adult flies. Of equal importance has been the cooperation of householders in reporting suspect larvae. Early detection by either the trapping of flies or reports of larvae by householders ensures prompt eradication procedures before the population expands.

Proportion of outbreaks reported by members of the public; the remainder were detected by the trapping grid. During the period 1946-1978, the trapping grid was not as extensive nor the traps as efficient as in the period 1978-1997.
Period:

1946 – 1978 Qfly: 67% Medifly: 93%
Period: 1978 – 1997 Qfly: 49% Medifly: 52%

The response to all public reports is attendance by an inspector who visits the house and examines the specimens. In most cases, other insects, commonly larvae of codling moth, lightbrown apple moth, dried fruit beetle, metallic-green tomato fly or ferment flies are identified. When putative fruit fly larvae are found, they are referred to an entomologist.

(Source: Sarah Harrison)