The ministry for primary industries in New Zealand has been testing samples from fruit fly traps in the Auckland area after the discovery of a single Queensland fruit fly in a trap.
The ministry has not found any signs of further fruit flies, but as a precautionary measure, it is continuing its field effort to ensure that if any of the pest insects are present they are not able to spread from the Avondale area of Auckland where the one male fly was found last week.
Deputy director general Andrew Coleman said community support for control measures on whole fresh fruit and vegetables had been “fantastic”.
The Queensland fruit fly has the potential to seriously damage New Zealand's horticultural crops if left unchecked.
