Fruit Trees
Queensland Fruit Fly: How to Protect Your Backyard Fruit and Vegetables
The Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni) is one of the most troublesome pests for Australian backyard gardeners. Despite its name, this destructive fruit fly is found well beyond Queensland and can cause serious damage to home-grown fruit and vegetables.
If you grow fruit trees, tomatoes or other susceptible crops, understanding the Queensland fruit fly lifecycle can help you protect your harvest.
What Is Queensland Fruit Fly?
Queensland fruit fly is a small native Australian fly that attacks a wide range of fruits and fruiting vegetables. Adult females lay their eggs just beneath the skin of suitable produce.
After the eggs hatch, the larvae or maggots feed inside the fruit. This can cause fruit to soften, rot, develop discoloured patches or fall from the plant prematurely.
Unfortunately, fruit may look healthy from the outside while larvae are already developing inside.