Fruit fly surveillance area widens in Papatoetoe

Biosecurity New Zealand is widening its trapping zone in Papatoetoe after today finding three more male Oriental fruit flies, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.

“The finds in our traps, following last week’s detection of a single male fly in the suburb, is not unexpected and shows our enhanced surveillance and inspection is working,” says Mr Inglis.

“At the moment we’ve found four single males in total, all of them in Papatoetoe, and there's no evidence of a breeding population. The key sign of that would be the detection of a mated female or larvae. We have been collecting fallen fruit from people’s backyards, which we will cut up and examine in our dedicated laboratory.

“We continue to bolster our network of traps in the controlled area to ensure good coverage near to each fly detection. The lures we use in the traps are very strong and attract the fly,” says Mr Inglis.

Today’s detections mean the restrictions on movement of fruit and vegetables have been extended. There are now three areas under Zone A restrictions, 200-metres around each fly detection. Zone B has also been extended to account for the location of the new detections.

Signs will be installed at every road entrance and exit to the newly extended controlled area, reminding people of the restrictions.

A detailed map of the controlled area and a full description of the new boundaries and movement controls is at mpi.govt.nz/fruitfly