Tasmania’s Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment department is considering using sterile Queensland fruit flies in its eradication program.
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Two million sterile fruit flies were released over Adelaide this week as part of a $45 million national fruit fly management program.
A department spokesperson said Biosecurity Tasmania was working to eradicate Queensland fruit fly from the state.
“Biosecurity officers are currently in discussions with the Sterile Insect Technology facility and its experts to determine if releasing sterile Queensland fruit flies in Tasmania could assist our eradication efforts,” the spokesperson said.
The sterile fruit flies were bred at the new National Sterile Insect Technology Facility in Port Augusta, South Australia, to help with incursion eradication in some Australian regions.
Sterile flies were bred to be “more attractive” to wild fruit flies, federal Agriculture and Water Resources minister David Littleproud said.
“These flies are the best ‘singers’, have great endurance, fitness, agility and looks that are irresistible to wild flies looking to breed,” he said.
“These sterile fruit flies – 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female – have been raised to be more attractive to the wild population, showing that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.”
Australia’s SITplus program is based on Sterile Insect Technology programs from California and Guatemala.
SITPlus is a research and development partnership, with nine separate projects targeting Queensland fruit fly throughout Australia.
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Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
