Biosecurity New Zealand has now placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Birkdale and nearby areas on the North Shore.
The horticulture pest was found in one of Biosecurity New Zealand’s national surveillance traps in fruit trees in residential backyards. Other traps in the area checked recently showed no signs of other flies, and initial investigations have found no other signs to date.
"While there is no evidence of a breeding population at this stage, we need community help to make sure we successfully find and eradicate any further fruit flies that may be present in the area," said Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Biosecurity New Zealand staff have been busy in the area, laying more traps and informing households. Around 100 additional traps specifically targeting oriental fruit flies have been placed within a 1,500-m area of the original find.
"There have been 13 previous fruit fly incursions in New Zealand, which we have successfully eradicated, so we have a very strong and detailed operational plan to guide our work. The rules now in place prohibit moving fruit and vegetables out of a specified controlled area around where the fruit fly was found."
The controlled area has two zones: A and B. Zone A is 200-metre. Zone B covers 1,500m.
Zone A: No whole fresh fruit and vegetables, except for leafy vegetables and soil-free root vegetables, can be moved outside Zone A. This applies to all produce, regardless of whether it was bought or grown.
Zone B: Fruit and vegetables grown in Zone B cannot be moved out of the controlled area.
"These legal controls are an important precaution. Should there be any more flies out there, this will help prevent their spread out of the area. It is likely the restrictions will be in place for at least two weeks."
Signs will also be placed to notify people of the restrictions and mark the boundaries of the controlled area.
"While it's disappointing to detect another Oriental fruit fly so soon after closing our previous response in Papatoetoe, the latest find highlights the value of our trapping and surveillance efforts.”
Inglis added that multiple detections were not unprecedented. In 2019, Biosecurity New Zealand successfully responded to fruit fly detections in three Auckland suburbs, demonstrating the effectiveness of the country’s system.
Biosecurity New Zealand has been working closely with the horticultural industry.
"We all appreciate this will be inconvenient for the many people living in and around the controlled area, but following these directions is a critical precaution to protect our horticultural industries, home gardens and our New Zealand way of life."
