Oriental fruit fly

The oriental fruit fly is not present in the ACT or the Australian mainland.

About the pest

The oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) is one of the most damaging pests of horticulture crops with flies able to infect over 400 types of fruit and vegetables.

This insect is considered a serious threat to Australia’s horticultural industries, with avocadoes, mangoes and papayas as the most common targets for the pest.

Why they are a problem

The oriental fruit fly is a major threat to agriculture due to the large variety of fruits and vegetables it attacks. The female fly lays eggs inside the fruit, causing the produce to rot and drop prematurely while the hatching larvae tunnel and feed internally.

A single infestation can result in 100% damage to unprotected fruit with some even attacking immature fruit.

What to look for

• The adult oriental fruit fly is small, ranging from 6–8 mm in length, similar in size to a common housefly.
• They have clear wings with a narrow brown band extending along the edge.
• The thorax is dark coloured with two yellow stripes on top.
• The abdomen is brown to yellow in colour and has two horizontal black stripes with a T-shape extending from the base of the third segment to bottom of the abdomen.
• The female has a very slender and sharply pointed ovipositor (egg laying organ at the end of the abdomen).

How it spreads

The oriental fruit fly spreads primarily through natural flight and the movement of infested produce. Adult flies can fly a few kilometres naturally, while long-distance spread relies heavily on human transport of fruits and vegetables containing hidden eggs or larvae.

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