Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata)

Mediterranean fruit fly is a small insect similar in appearance to a housefly with a yellow and brown banded body (they are a true fly - ie a member of the order Diptera). The females have a clearly visible ovipositor behind the abdomen. Wings are held in the drooping position. They lay eggs in fruit, where they feed until they are ready to pupate. At this time they drop to the soil, where they remain buried 5 mm under the surface for a month (in ideal conditions) or longer.

Queensland Fruit Fly (Dacus tryoni)

Queensland fruit fly is larger and reddish brown with yellow marks on its abdomen. Its life cycle is similar to the introduced pest. Queensland fruit fly is found mostly around Sydney or further north. Mediterranean fruit fly is a major pest in Western Australia

Fruit flies should not be confused with the small black 'vinegar fly' which is attracted to fermenting fruit.
Evidence of fruit fly activity includes clearly visible puncture marks in the skin of fruit, sometimes associated with fruit rot which starts around the wound, or frass. . Fruit 'stings', where the adult has punctured the skin to lay eggs, appear as small holes which usually repair to small raised lumps in citrus and passionfruit, small T shaped marks of lumps in avocado or brown spots on persimmons, apples and pears. On stonefruit the stings are usually inconspicuous.

Larvae are creamy-white maggots which grow to about 8 mm in length. Maggots are clearly visible inside the fruit when opened.

They are a major economic pest and quarantine is an important method of control to limit their range.
Conventional sprays for fruit fly are usually based on fenthion, dimethoate and trichlorfon. Fention is very toxic to domestic animals especially poultry and other birds. Organic control methods include traps and baits and integration of poultry into the orchard.