Fruit Fly Tracker
Beat fruit fly with the right action at the right time for your region.
Fruit fly is the defining problem for Australian backyard fruit. The whole game is timing: act before the fruit ripens, because once you see maggots it is too late. Pick your region for a plan tuned to your climate.
First, the truth about traps
The most common mistake is relying on a male-only lure (like Wild May) and expecting it to save your crop. Those traps only catch males, so they tell you fruit fly is around, they do not protect your fruit. What actually works is the combination: exclusion netting or bags, plus a both-sex protein bait (such as Cera Trap or Eco-Naturalure), plus hygiene (clearing fallen fruit). Netting is the single most reliable method.
Your season, month by month
Netting and bagging
Your fruit fly checklist
Tick these off as you go. Saved on this device.
DIY trap and safe disposal
Quick monitoring trap: a 2 litre soft drink bottle with a few holes near the top, half a cup of cloudy ammonia mixed with a cup of fruit juice or a teaspoon of vegemite. Hang about 1.5m high in shade and refresh weekly. Remember this monitors, it does not protect.
Disposal of infested fruit: never compost it or put it in green waste. Seal it in a bag and freeze for 2 days, or leave it double bagged in the sun to solarise for 1 to 2 weeks, then put it in the general rubbish.
General guidance for home gardeners. Fruit fly rules and pest-free-area status change. Check your state agriculture department for current local requirements.