Field Officer of the Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Program Peter Perry wants to increase community awareness surrounding the topic of fruit flies and how to deal with them.
One of the ways he looks to do this is through one-on-one visits and discussions with anyone who is being affected across the region.
“We find most people are prepared to do the right thing and take steps to protect themselves and neighbours from fruit flies, once they have an understanding of what they should be doing,” Mr Perry said.
Their goal is to support members of the community in learning the correct steps to take to stop the spread of these pests.
This program takes into consideration the council areas of Berrigan Shire, Greater Shepparton, Moira, Campaspe and Strathbogie.
It aims to bring together community and industry, to hopefully bring a coordinated approach to the how fruit flies across the region are managed.
The program itself keeps a close eye on the population of fruit flies across the Goulburn Murray Valley, while Mr Perry’s role is to educate those who live in problem areas and hot spots.
“There is no single action that will stop fruit fly, people need to carry out a range of different methods to have an impact,” Mr Perry said.
He says there is a specific focus on citrus at this time year with loquats beginning to ripen in the next month.
Fruit left on the ground or on the tree will be the cause of the problem, that’s why it is important to clear away any unwanted fruit.
“If we’re able to stop the number of fruit fly that are able to survive winter, then this will have an impact on next season by decreasing fruit fly populations,” Mr Perry said.
Steps to protect yourself and others from fruit flies are as follows;
Use netting traps and baits around your plants, and regularly inspect any home grown produce.
It is important to pick up any fallen or rotten fruit and vegetables from the ground.
It is possible to Solorise any infested fruits just by bagging them and placing them in the sun for at least 14 days.
An remember to prune back your fruit trees to keep them managed or simply remove any unwanted fruit trees.
Community members wanting to have a one-on-one visit can contact the program at gmvfruitfly@moira.vic.gov.au or by phoning (03) 5871 9222 for support in their management of fruit fly.
for information about fruit fly control visit www.fruitflycontrol.com.au.
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