A third Queensland fruit fly has been caught in a surveillance trap on Auckland's North Shore. Photo / MPI
A third Queensland fruit fly has been caught in a surveillance trap on Auckland's North Shore. Photo / MPI
A third Queensland fruit fly has been found on Auckland's North Shore.
The fruit fly was caught in a trap 113 metres from where a single male Queensland fruit fly was detected almost two weeks ago in Northcote. Another one was earlier found in Devonport.
Biosecurity New Zealand spokeswoman DrCatherine Duthie said all the other surveillance traps in the area have been checked and no more had been spotted.
"This latest detection is further evidence that our surveillance programme is working and it is pleasing we still have no indication of an established breeding population," Duthie said.
As a result of the latest detection, the trapping and surveillance programme would be boosted with 140 Biosecurity New Zealand staff, contractors and industry partners working on the problem.
Along with the trapping, Biosecurity NZ staff were also collecting fruit from backyards in the area and checking it for larvae.
More than 300 kilograms of fruit has been inspected so far and nothing has been detected.
There are restrictions around the movement of the fruit and vegetables in place for Northcote, Devonport and Otara in South Auckland - where two single male facialis fruit flies have also been found.
In these suburbs Biosecurity NZ staff and contractors are continuing to collect disposal bins for processing and so far three tonnes of fruit and vegetable waste has been collected from the three suburbs affected so it can be disposed of securely.
Anyone who finds larvae inside fruit, or thinks have seen a fruit fly, are advised to keep hold of it and call 0800 80 99 66.
