There have been changes to both the Riverland fruit fly outbreaks and metropolitan Adelaide fruit fly outbreaks since our February e-news. Vinehealth Australia continues to provide assistance to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), growers, wineries and regional wine associations in relation to these fruit fly outbreaks.
Riverland
- A new Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) outbreak at Cooltong was declared on 10 February. This outbreak boundary has since been extended three times to the east (albeit the last extension did not include any vineyards).
- A new Qfly outbreak was declared on 6 March at Pike River and another on 13 March at Berri.
- The Renmark West Qfly Outbreak Area was further extended twice by PIRSA to the north-east and north-west based on multiple new detections.
Metro Adelaide
- A new Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) outbreak was declared on 19 February at Marleston, adjoining to the north west of the Black Forest outbreak area.
- Part of the southern and north eastern sections of the Campbelltown Medfly Outbreak Area, the eastern side of the Croydon Park Med fly Outbreak Area and the north western part of the Marleston Med fly Outbreak Area have been extended.
- There was also an extension to the Ridleyton Qfly Outbreak Area to the south west on 19 February.
These changes to metro outbreak boundaries have resulted in minor changes to the grouped metro Adelaide suspension boundary, but not in a direction to include any further vineyards.
For current maps, our Biosecurity Bulletins outlining movement requirements for industry and quarantine lifting dates, refer to Vinehealth Australia’s Current Outbreaks page for the Riverland here and for metropolitan Adelaide here.
At the time of writing, additional new detections in the metropolitan Adelaide area outlined above have only altered the grouped suspension zone slightly but this has not increased the number of vineyards identified as being within the fruit fly affected areas.
Quarantine end dates explained
You may be noticing continual changes to the end quarantine dates for many of the outbreaks being currently managed by PIRSA. These dates represent the time until quarantine restrictions applicable to the outbreaks are anticipated to be lifted.
As more flies or larvae are detected, these dates can push out, but the dates are also linked to the lifecycles of the various fruit flies as explained by PIRSA:
“In the summer, from December to February, adult flies can emerge from the pupae in as little as seven days. In the cooler months, they take longer to emerge and they also live longer. Because fruit fly have been detected at this time of year when it’s getting cooler, we have to increase the restriction period to cover the longer life cycle.”