OVERFLOWING fruits and vegetables in your garden should be made into jams or sauces according to the latest fruit fly advice from Agriculture Victoria.
Queensland fruit fly (QFF) populations are typically at their highest in spring as temperatures rise, but they can remain active in autumn and winter if hot weather persists and there is suitable produce available.
Keeping your garden free from unwanted fallen or rotten fruit will stop QFF from breeding in your backyard.
Agriculture Victoria statewide fruit fly coordinator Cathy Mansfield has warned that many homegrown fruit and veggies may be carrying maggots and QFF despite appearing healthy on the outside.
"Cutting open fruit and vegetables is one of the best ways to check for QFF, so whether you're part of a big family sauce day or working solo in the kitchen keep an eye out for creamy coloured maggots inside your plums, peaches, quinces or tomatoes," she said.
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Ms Mansfield suggests that creating jams and sauces and sharing it with your neighbours is an effective method of avoiding the spread of QFF in your produce.
"Instead of sharing your backyard bounty fresh, cut it up and use it to make preserves or pastes as this will go a long way to stopping the spread of QFF around your neighbourhood," she said.
Agriculture Victoria has provided a wide range of resources on its website to educate home gardeners control QFF, including tips on monitoring, garden hygiene, netting, baiting, insecticides and trapping.
For more information on how to prevent QFF, including a list of host fruits and vegetables in your garden that may be vulnerable, visit https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/qff.
