Med Fly syn. Mediterranean Fruit Fly Control
Med Fly Ceratitis capitata is a serious problem in WA but not found in other states. The adult flies are 4-5 mm long with a yellow body and mottled wings. It attacks citrus and wide range of other fruit, stonefruit and loquats are particularly vulnerable.
Suggested Organic Strategies
- Increase habitats for predators, such as ants, ground beetles, spiders and birds.
- Clean up all infected fruit as soon as possible. To destroy the maggots, immerse fruit in water or even better place in a pot, bring to the boil and then feed it to poultry, or try placing fruit in a sealed, black plastic bag in the sun.
- Use your orchard as a poultry forage area, to aid fruit fly control.
- Select early fruiting trees, to miss the onslaught of fruit fly.
- Grow dwarf varieties or keep trees small.
Handy Hint: The tiny flies that hover around the fruit bowl are fungal gnats, not fruit flies.
Suggested Products:
Exclusion Products
Insectrap
