Mediterranean fruit fly
Ceratitis capitata
Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), or Medfly, is one of the world's most destructive fruit pests. Medfly is known to attack more than 250 different fruits and vegetables, and this combined with its wide distribution and ability to tolerate cooler subtropical and Mediterranean climates has led to it being ranked as the most economically important fruit fly species.
Background
Fruit flies belong to the family Tephritidae, which includes over 4,500 species. Adult flies are brightly coloured flies approximately 2/3 the size of a housefly (4 to 5 mm). About 20 species can be considered as serious pests, even though 60 species are known to infest commercial fruit types. Some of the well-known species are the Queensland, Oriental, Mediterranean, Caribbean and papaya fruit flies. These fruit flies have a wide range of hosts. Hosts include commercial crops such as avocado, citrus, feijoa, grape, peppers, persimmon, pipfruit, stonefruit and walnut. Several ornamental and weed species also act as hosts for Medfly. These include monkey apple, black nightshade and Jerusalem cherry.
An incursion of Mediterranean fruit fly would have serious consequences for New Zealand's horticultural industry. An incursion in key fruit-growing regions is likely to have a significant effect on the New Zealand economy with potential job losses and eradication costing millions. Various strains of fruit fly cause extensive damage worldwide to horticultural crops, and is considered a significant quarantine pest worldwide which could result in our trading partners suspending horticultural exports from New Zealand. For example, a Mediterranean fruit fly incursion in Auckland in 1996 resulted in nations such as China banning New Zealand fruit for a year.
MAFBNZ operates a lure based surveillance trapping system in the main centres, around ports and international airports and horticultural areas. This system involves over 7000 traps nationwide which are located in populated areas, centres for trade and/or tourism, areas with a climate that particularly suits the fruit fly, and areas of significant horticultural activity. In the event of an incursion of Medfly in New Zealand, adult flies are unlikely to be found other than through the use of lure traps.
Import Requirements
Fruit fly is most likely to arrive with plane passengers bringing infested fruit in luggage or in shipments of fruit.
Import health standards contain measures to prevent the introduction of exotic insects into New Zealand. Further information on the mitigation measures for fruit fly on the fresh produce pathway can be found in the following import health standard:
All host material of Mediterranean fruit fly shall only be imported under the terms of a bilateral quarantine arrangement between MAFBNZ and the exporting country's national plant protection organisation. These agreements include descriptions of approved treatment systems and certification requirements.
Further Information
- Fruit fly alert: Vigilant scout does the right thing
- Fruit fly: A major threat to New Zealand's fruit and vegetable industries?
- MAFBNZ's agriculture security system for fruit fly
Page last updated: 22 October 2008