Within the current Northcote controlled area, another Queensland fruit fly has been found, bringing the total to eight over the past three and half months. This was announced by Biosecurity New Zealand. In a statement, the government authority said efforts to eradicate the pest would increase, with bait placed on fruit trees to attract and kill adult flies, in particular females.
The current restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables remain, and trapping and the collection of fallen fruit in some of the controlled area would continue, Biosecurity New Zealand spokeswoman Dr Catherine Duthie said. "While it is concerning there has been another detection, it still doesn't tell us that there is a breeding population. What it does is raises the potential that Queensland fruit flies remain in the area, albeit at very low levels."
The latest finds mean the B zone in Northcote would be expanded, and a new A Zone with a radius of 200m would be set up around the new detection, along with the associated restrictions on the movement of fruit, vegetables and green waste.
According to an article on nzherald.co.nz, the controlled area of 1.5 km would expand westwards from the latest detection.
