Latest on Fruit fly detections in the Auckland region – April 2019

Biosecurity New Zealand alongside industry partners are currently responding to detections of single male fruit flies in Auckland.

Latest situation

The fruit fly response in the Northcote area is about to step up again, with the focus on maintaining controls and resuming baiting and more intensive trapping.

Latest media release here.

Along with the continued movement restrictions, a network of fruit fly surveillance traps which attract male fruit flies have remained in the area over winter and were regularly checked, with the last single male fruit fly detected in the current controlled area on 15 July.

The response has found 10 flies in the Northcote area since February, and while there is yet no evidence of larvae, pupae, eggs or female flies, the continued finds indicate that Queensland fruit flies could remain in the area, albeit at very low levels.

Further information, detailed maps of the controlled areas and fruit movement restrictions are at: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/fruitfly

Number of detections	Date of detection	Type	Life stage / sex	Location	Detected by	Found within existing Controlled Area	Regulatory actions
14	15 July 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Continuation of controlled area.
13	31 May 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult male	Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Northcote Controlled Area Notice revoked with new one issued based around Birkenhead’s new A Zone
12	10 May 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Expansion of existing Controlled area and establishment of a new/separate B zone
11	25 April 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Re-established Northcote Controlled Area
10	14 March 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes
9	10 March 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes
8	5 March 2019	Single Facialis fruit fly	Adult Male	Otara, South Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Second A zone established within Controlled Area
7	4 March 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes
6	28 February 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes	Extension of the Northcote A zone and Controlled Area
5	23 February 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes
4	21 February 2019	Single Facialis fruit fly	Adult Male	Otara, South Auckland	Surveillance trap	Yes
3	20 February 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly	Adult Male	Northcote, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	→	Northcote Controlled Area established 20th February
2	18 February 2019	Single Facialis fruit fly (Bactrocera fascialis)	Adult Male	Otara, South Auckland	Surveillance trap	→	Otara Controlled Area established 19th February
1	14 February 2019	Single Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni)	Adult Male	Devonport, North Shore, Auckland	Surveillance trap	→	Devonport Controlled Area established 15th February

Controlled Area Notices (CAN) have been established in these areas to legally restrict the movement of certain fruits, vegetables and other risk items to prevent any potential spread. Further information can be found on the MPI website: https://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/fruit-flies/

Biosecurity New Zealand are underway setting further pheromone traps in the immediate areas surrounding these detections along with inspecting fruit, installing quarantine bins & road signs and distributing awareness information to the public.

At this point there is no indication there is an outbreak of fruit fly or evidence of a breeding population.

Biosecurity New Zealand and industry partners are responding to these detections under the Government Industry Agreement process, GIA. NZ Avocado, like other industry groups, are identifying people within the industry that are able to be travel to Auckland to assist with on-the-ground response operations.

MPI market access teams are in constant communication with international trading partners to assure them that there is no commercial production in these areas and that the response is going as planned.

We will keep you updated of any major developments as these responses progress.

Contact Brad Siebert, Biosecurity Manager at NZ Avocado with any questions brad.siebert@nzavocado.co.nz