How we manage QLD Fruit Fly

QLD Fruit fly is a devastating pest for us here in the subtropics. It can make vegetable gardening during the warmer months prohibitive if they are out of control. We’ve used a holistic approach to help drop the numbers in our garden with success here’s how we’ve done it.
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[@zappy7393]

Just started gardening and the fruit flies have destroyed my first crop of tomatoes. I live in SE QLD as well and this information is invaluable so thank you.

[@VG-cz7yg]

I have had the same problem in Ipswich. Most of my tomatoes either destroyed by fruit fly or eaten by something. I’m going to try the exclusion bags. I have tried sticky pieces of plastic for fruit fly that I purchased on eBay and that trapped many but obviously not enough.😊

[@loveofdirt]

Glad it was helpful, they are terrible things

[@maradall]

Thanks for these tips! Fruit fly is one of the reasons that I have been lukewarm about growing tomatoes & capsicum - I didn't realise that zucchini & butternuts were also vulnerable, so thanks for the heads-up!

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah it’s not fun finding them

[@mouse8523]

Companion plant with peppermint , lavender, lemon grass they hate the smell.. they love apple cider so place jars around outta area i place on fence and in different garden beds but jar covered with cling wrap and with a hole ontop or old milk bottles and a hole in screw on lid small enough so they can go in but harder to get out and 1/4 fill apple cider. They love it they go in and cant get out ❤.

[@loveofdirt]

Interesting. I’ve seen lures made with yeast / vegemite, only ever heard of apple cider traps for vinegar flies. Does this get the cucumber ones too?

[@skallasigurdson9332]

Thanks for another video, Nicki. Will definitely be looking into using the baits you mentioned. Just started netting this year. For a few years now, I've been picking my toms as soon as they start to show any colour and ripening them on the kitchen bench. Not sure if it's that they haven't been stung yet or just that eggs haven't hatched, but haven't found any fruit fly maggots with this approach.

[@loveofdirt]

I do the same even under the net. Only leave ones to fully ripen if I am seed saving. They only take 3 days to hatch from laying eggs on the surface so you'd know if they had been stung pretty quickly.

[@veronicabaker7730]

Thank you for the informative video. I think some of my pumpkins have been affected. I had no idea what was causing the problem, but it might be fruit fly.

[@loveofdirt]

Glad it helped

[@benschulz3871]

They certainly are a challenge hey, one thing ive noticed here is that spiders will often set up webs near and around susceptible fruits and doing a fantastic job at catching them as ive often found some perfect untouched fruits with strategic webs either side ....
My question to u now be how do we convince more spiders to help us out..🤔

[@loveofdirt]

I spoke to an entomologist for my membership and he said the best beneficial insect were spiders🕷I don’t mind them about.

[@antcream61165]

Hiya 🙂 New sub here from Bris North also. Great vid. My toms are getting smashed this year from fruit fly 😞 Cheers, Ant.

[@loveofdirt]

yeah they've been a killer this year! I suspect the rain hasn't helped

[@rachelmacpherson8587]

Hi Nicki, great video. I started growing some veges last spring, my tomato plants grew well but the fruit was sparce and what did grow was full of fruit fly maggots. I understand the netting but would you please explain how that works with the pollinators? I was thinking of building a permanent net-house but then the pollinators won't be able to get in an do their thing, any thoughts on this? Thanks

[@loveofdirt]

Tomatoes don’t need bugs to pollinate you just need to give them a shake every now and then to help.

[@skallasigurdson9332]

Hi again, Nicki. What bait do you use in your bait stations and where do you get it? I just tried to see if I could get some bait from my local Bunnings, but they only sold the whole station.

[@loveofdirt]

I use the cera trap and it was from Bunnings. I’ve seen the solution in local nurseries. The protein bait that I paint on was from Bunnings as well but I couldn’t see it the other day as mine is almost empty. I’ll try a local nursery instead. I am in the process of getting them for my shop as well.

[@skallasigurdson9332]

@@loveofdirt Thanks. If I track some down, I'll let you know where.

[@debbi945]

I use an inch or so of cheap orange cordial with another inch or so of water (to stop it thickening too much). Fruit fly are attracted to anything sweet

[@MaxDiegardo]

awesome. i havent tried the protein bait yet. is it effective? i only used the hormone bait and let them drown in bottles. if i didnt apply them daily, they gonna get them fruits! the sticky spray hormone was good but too expensive.. i ended up losing the battle lol

[@loveofdirt]

We’ve found it helpful, but I don’t think it’s effective stand alone

[@brooklyn3534]

Where do you get yhe fruit net bags at a good price?? thank you for the info! 😊

[@loveofdirt]

I got mine on eBay, just make sure they are UV otherwise they’ll only last one season

[@mukaram43]

Hi i need help regarding my pomegranates sqirals and fruitfly all looted

[@mukaram43]

We have temrature sometime 52 net ma harm plant and fruiy

[@loveofdirt]

Can’t help with the squirrels, but nets work with fruit fly