As part of Biosecurity New Zealand’s National Fruit Fly Surveillance programme, 60 hi-tech traps are being tested, with the aim to bolster the detection of the exotic fruit fly.
With more than 7800 traps stationed across the country, the fruit fly surveillance programme runs from September to July each year to coincide with the heightened risk of fruit flies entering NZ.
Biosecurity NZ director diagnostic and surveillance services Veronica Herrera says the ramping up of global activity post-covid means a much more heightened risk.
“We have a world-class biosecurity system, but the growth in global trade and travel increases the opportunity for fruit flies to enter the country,” she says.
“Exotic fruit fly incursions could significantly impact New Zealand’s horticulture industry, so early detection is critical.”
Biosecurity NZ has found the Queensland fruit fly half a dozen times in surveillance traps and has successfully eradicated it each time.
This season, 60 additional RapidAIM traps have been deployed across 11 Auckland suburbs to target the Queensland fruit fly (QFF).
The hi-tech traps are on trial from the Australian company RapidAIM, and Herrera says the sensors in the traps evaluate the behaviour of insects entering the unit.
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) surveillance programme also got underway this month. Like exotic fruit flies, BMSB also poses a threat to the NZ horticulture industry.
Biosecurity NZ will monitor traps at 86 high-risk sites during the BMSB season, which runs from November to April.
