Fruit Fly

Starfruit attacked by Bactocera carambolae if not properly managed.

Fruit Fly is the main pest in tropical fruit industry in Malaysia and many Asean countries. As I experienced on handling fruit project in TKPM, fruit fly has always create our fruit low quality if not properly managed. there was 4 type of fruit fly in Malaysia :

a. Bactocera carambolae - attack star fruit

b. Bactocera papayae - attack papaya

c. Bactocera cucurbitae - Attack vegetables (Angle loofah, Bitter gourd etc)

d. Bactocera dorsalis - Attack most fruit such as guava


The Life Cycle of adult fruit fly lay egg in the fruit and about 2-3 day turn to larva stage. The larva stage live in the fruit for about 7-1o days before turn to nymph. After 8 - 12 days it turns to adult fruit fly. The adult fruit fly layered egg under the thin fruit skin using its ovipositor - needle like injector. The larvae eat the fruit flesh and later damaging the whole fruit and fall down.

How to control the fruit fly attack?
By calling 999.... No....No...No....

Control combination is the best alternatives to control fruit fly attack. During hands-on extension delivery system to the farmers we always remind them with integrated approach as below:-

a. Wrapping Fruit - physical control
b. Farm sanitation - collect all infested fruit
c. Use of Protein bait - Kill male and female adult
d. Use of methyl eugenol attractant - Kill male adult
e. Spraying of insecticide - Chemical control

How to use Methyl Eugenal and Insecticide?

About 10 ml of Malathion at 25% ai mixed with 10 ml Methyl Eugenol and 120 ml or clean water. Later about 3-5 drop of the mixture to clean cotton as a trap. Put the cotton in plastic container or bottle with holes or passage for the fruit fly to enter. Density of the trap recommended about 10 trap for one hectare. The male fruit fly will rush to the trap and make a contact with insecticide then "DIE".

By
M Anem
Johor