Larvae in fruit

Larvae discovered in fruit

You may be surprised to find larvae or maggots in fruit

So you have just picked some fruit and vegetables from your home garden only to be surprised to find it full of fruit fly larvae (maggots). Or may be you suspect that your fruit or vegetables have been attacked by fruit fly hovering around your crop. Either way, you want to know what you can do to control the infestation and whether you can save your crop.

There are actions you can take to help control infestations. However, whether you can save some of your crops is dependent on factors such as the level of infestation and fruit development stage.

The following table provides three situations that you may find yourself in, as well as actions you can take in each one. Identify the scenario that best reflects your situation and implement remedial actions.

 

If you find that . . . Then you should . . .
After picking or cutting a few fruits to inspect them, you find some are infested with larvae
  • Use the sanitation method to collect and destroy any infested fruit
  • Use protein bait sprays or liquid protein traps to help kill any female fruit flies in your garden – though this may not be effective once egg-laying female flies are present
  • Review your choice of control strategy so that you can prepare to protect your next crop
Your current fruiting crop is infested but you have other crops in the garden that are in the early stages of fruit development
  • Use the sanitation method to collect and destroy all infested fruit
  • Review your choice of control strategy so that you can work to protect your other crops. As fruit flies are already active and laying eggs in your protein bait sprays or liquid protein traps may not be entire effective. However, exclusion methods may be appropriate for your crop
It looks as though your crop has only just been attacked by fruit fly (this can be difficult to tell)
  • Use the sanitation method to collect and destroy any infested fruit
  • Use protein bait sprays or liquid protein traps to help kill any female fruit flies in your garden – though this may not be effective once egg-laying female flies are present
  • Review your choice of control strategy so that you can prepare to protect your next crop

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