Varietal/species selection

Depending on where you live you may wish to seriously consider not growing the major host plants. Selecting early varieties of fruit may help to avoid the peak seasons, as numbers often build up after several generations (in each year). In Sydney Queensland fruit fly season starts in late August or September and gradually builds up until late January and February. Losses of main crops such as tomatoes will be tolerable in home garden situations before late January, without any spraying

Some fruits are much less attractive to fruit fly and can be grown successfully even in peak fruit fly areas - try mulberries and lemons. Some growers report that thick skinned varieties, such as Tom Thumb tomatoes are resistant - but they will still suffer some attack. In southern Australia loquat is a potential host which requires special attention because it provides a food source between winter crops (citrus) and summer crops (stone fruit etc). At the other end of the season late crops such as quince and medlar can extend the season of fruit fly.