The Ministry for Primary Industries has confirmed a fourth fruit fly in Grey Lynn and believes it to be part of the same localised population as previous detections.
A single male Queensland fruit fly was found on Sunday in a trap inside the existing Controlled Area.
There are no changes to the Controlled Area as a result of the find at this stage, says MPI Chief Operations Officer Andrew Coleman.
"We have been expecting to find more flies, so the latest detection is no surprise, and confirms that the trapping systems continues to be successful.
"The find was close to the original detections, so we believe the fly is likely to be part of the same population."
MPI has so far trapped three male fruit flies. A single unmated female was located at a residential property on Friday.
MPI and its response partners, including GIA signatories KVH and PipfruitNZ, have moved quickly to respond to the fruit fly threat.
MPI currently has more than 180 staff working in the field on the response.
The response involves the use of movement controls, traps, public awareness and treatment. Stricter controls continue to be applied at New Zealand’s borders.
During the weekend, ground staff laid bait in Zone A of the Controlled Area. It expects to lay bait in the rest of the area today. Ground-based spraying has also been completed under the fruiting trees where positive finds have been made.
"We continue to appreciate the outstanding public support we have received for our movement controls," says Mr Coleman.
"We have every confidence that our measures will effectively eradicate this population.”
Contact: MPI Mediaphone 029 894 0328
Further background about the Controlled Area Notice
All whole fresh fruit and vegetables (except for leafy vegetables and root vegetables) cannot be moved outside of the wider Controlled Area.
Within the wider Controlled Area there is a smaller central Zone A (which takes in a circle 200 metres out from the initial find), and whole fruit and vegetables cannot be moved outside of this Zone at all.
Residents within Zone A are asked to dispose of all store-bought fruit and vegetable waste in the special disposal bins that have been provided by MPI.
Zone A residents are asked to leave any home-grown fallen fruit on the ground in their garden for inspection by MPI. Do not put home-grown produce in your MPI disposal bin.
Zone B residents can continue to dispose of all fruit and vegetables in the MPI disposal bins which are distributed at convenient locations around the area.
Fruit and vegetables can continue to be purchased and transported from outside the Controlled Area into the Controlled Area.
