Oriental fruit fly detected in Auckland

Situation summary

The single male Oriental fruit fly was found in a backyard surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe. Biosecurity New Zealand has mounted an operation to determine whether there are more fruit flies and get rid of any population to protect the horticulture industry and home gardens.

We have ramped up trapping and testing, with daily checks in a 200-metre radius from the original find and inspection of traps every 3 days in a second zone out to a 1,500-metre radius.

No further fruit flies have been found in these traps, or in 187 other routine surveillance traps in the Papatoetoe/Māngere area.

The trapping and testing, as well as controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables, are expected to continue until mid-February to be certain there are no more Oriental fruit flies in the area.

Find out about the controlled areas

Why we don't want Oriental fruit flies in NZ

The Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) can affect over 300 hosts including apple, kiwifruit, citrus, and tomatoes.

A population of Oriental fruit fly would cause control costs and production losses. Some countries might stop accepting our exported produce.

Papatoetoe/Māngere under a Controlled Area Notice (CAN)

From 4 January, an area of Papatoetoe was placed under a Controlled Area Notice. This restricts the movement of certain fruits and vegetables out of the Controlled Area to help prevent the spread of any fruit flies if there are more out there.

This area is divided into 2 zones – A and B. Each zone has different restrictions.

Zone A is a 200-metre radius area from the original find. Zone B is a 1,500-metre radius area from the original find.

Check if you are in the controlled area and which zone applies to you.

Maps of the controlled area and the zones

Controlled Area Notice (CAN) [PDF, 513 KB]

Map of Zones A and B – Satellite [PDF, 5.2 MB]

Map of Zones A and B – Traffic [PDF, 2.5 MB]

There are signs around the affected area showing the locations of the restrictions.

Information on waste collections in Zone A and Zone B

If you live in Zone A:

no fruit and vegetables (other than leafy or soil free root vegetables and cooked, processed, preserved, dried, frozen and canned fruit) can be moved from Zone A of the controlled area.
compost and green waste from gardens also cannot be moved out of this zone.
avoid composting fruit and vegetables. Separate fruit and vegetable waste from the rest of your household rubbish and dispose of it using a sink waste disposal unit if you have one, or put it in the bins provided by Biosecurity New Zealand. Your general rubbish can go out with your normal rubbish collection.
leave any home-grown fruit or vegetables that have fallen from trees or plants (windfall) on the ground in your garden. Biosecurity New Zealand inspectors may collect this material to check it for the presence of fruit fly. Waste from home-grown fruit and vegetables that have been already chopped up and is free of any bugs can be disposed of in the Biosecurity New Zealand bin. If you find eggs or larvae in home-grown produce, tie all the fruit or vegetable material inside a plastic bag and call Biosecurity New Zealand on 0800 80 99 66.

If you live in Zone B:

no whole fruit and vegetables grown in Zone B (except for leafy vegetables and soil-free root vegetables) can be moved out of the controlled area. You are free to move commercially purchased fruit and vegetables (for example, fruit and vegetables brought at the supermarket) out of the area.
home-grown produce waste, soil, and planting material attached to, or in the vicinity of, fruit bearing trees grown inside Zone B needs to be disposed of in Biosecurity New Zealand bins.

If in doubt, don't take it out.

Rubbish collection information for residents in restricted zones – Our Auckland

About the Oriental fruit fly

The Oriental fruit fly is widespread in Africa and Asia. In Oceania, it is present in Christmas Island, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Hawaii and Tahiti. However, it is absent from Australia.

It can affect over 300 hosts including apple, kiwifruit, citrus, and tomatoes. Adult flies lay eggs into fruit. The young stages (maggots) feed inside the fruit, causing it to rot and become unmarketable.

Adult flies: