The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is to continue its campaign to combat the Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) in Coolbellup and surrounding areas.
DPIRD said the Quarantine Area Notice (QAN), in place since 8 January, had been renewed to support additional baiting and surveillance work after a single male Qfly was trapped in the area at the end of February.
It said Qfly was a damaging pest which, if it became established in Western Australia, could severely impact the State’s horticultural industries, growers’ businesses and access to markets for fruit and fruiting vegetables.
Chief Plant Biosecurity Officer at DPIRD, Sonya Broughton said the eradication campaign was progressing well.
“So far we have visited 292 properties, of which 167 properties have host fruit and they are being baited as part of the Qfly campaign,” Dr Broughton said.
“We thank the community for their ongoing support of the Qfly surveillance and baiting campaign and following the movement restrictions,” she said.
“It is critically important to manage Qfly host fruit and fruiting vegetables within the Quarantine Area appropriately so that there is no suitable fruit available for Qfly females to lay their eggs in.”
Dr Broughton said that under the QAN, ripe and ripening host fruit had to be removed and picked up from the ground on each property every three days.
She said the QAN had been extended until 28 May.
A map of the updated Quarantine Area, a full list of host fruit and fruiting vegetables as well as advice on Qfly baiting can be accessed on DPIRD’s website at this PS News link.
