Baiting using Naturalure
Fruit fly behaviour and baiting
Fruit flies become active in late winter and early spring and baiting is a critical part of the eradication program.
Some common produce at risk from fruit fly includes:
- citrus
- stone fruit
- pome fruit including quinces
- grapes
- avocado
- tropical fruits and some fruiting vegetables including tomato, eggplant, capsicum, chili.
In addition to the list above, fruit fly also feed and rest on the leaves of a range of other trees, for example almonds.
Baiting needs to target these trees, including any forming shelter belts or tree lines on properties, as well as those at risk from fruit fly stinging (laying eggs in) their fruit. This will give the best chance of eradicating fruit fly from the Riverland.
Care needs to be taken when applying bait during almond pollination season to minimise honey bee impacts. Please follow the guidelines provided to you or see baiting during almond pollination.
Guidelines
Download the guide for self-baiting ( ).
Applying Naturalure
- Growers are strongly encouraged to bait for a minimum of 6 weeks or longer.
- Dilute Naturalure concentrate with water (see recommended rates below).
- Apply as either a band spray to the lower canopy of fruiting plants or as a spot spray to foliage.
- Take care to avoid spraying fruit as it may cause blemishing.
- In weekly spray programs, alternate tree or crop rows.
- Re-apply if rain washes bait off the foliage.
Recommended rates
This information is of a general nature and is not intended to replace the product label and safety data sheet for Naturalure. Those documents should be read in full and followed closely when applying bait.
Before applying bait read the full Naturalure label or off-label permit.
Band spraying (lower canopy)
See Naturalure Fruit Fly Bait Concentrate for instructions on the label and other documentation.
- Mix 1 part Naturalure fruit fly bait concentrate to 6.5 parts water.
- Apply in a 1 m wide band to the skirt of trees.
- Apply to one side of every row or every second row of trees.
Spot spraying (foliage)
Read the off-label permit (100 KB PDF).
- Mix 1 part Naturalure fruit fly bait concentrate to 4 parts water.
- Apply to trees and foliage according to the off-label permit (PER80719) as coarse spots of 40 ml per spot, at a maximum rate of 120 spots per hectare.
- Distribute spots evenly throughout the orchard for optimal effectiveness.
Shelter belt trees or tree lines (either band or spot spraying)
- Apply at a height of 1.5 to 2 metres to target the areas where fruit fly forage.
- Baiting for fruit fly control should also be supplemented by good orchard management practices including prompt picking of ripe fruit, and removal or treatment of fallen and rotting fruit. This is essential to break the fruit fly life cycle.
Keeping records
As a condition of receiving Naturalure from PIRSA, you are required to submit a weekly record of spray activity.
There are two ways to do this.
- Complete the online Riverland grower self-baiting record form.
- Complete the hard copy baiting record you received with your bait and email a photo or PDF copy to fruitfly@sa.gov.au.
More information
For market access enquiries
- email MarketAccessRenmark.aaslocal@sa.gov.au
- call the Industry Hotline on 1800 255 556