A fourth Queensland fruit fly has been found in Auckland, again in the suburb of Northcote, prompting MPI to increase its biosecurity restrictions on the area.
Photo: CSIRO / AFP
The find brings the total number of invasive fruit flies found in Auckland in recent weeks to six: the four male Queensland fruit flies along with two Facialis fruit flies - which are native to Tonga - found in Ōtara.
The male fly was found in a trap just outside the A Zone controlled area, but within Zone B in Northcote.
It's the third insect found in the suburb and was about 270m away from the last detection there.
Biosecurity New Zealand will also be adding improved traps between Devonport and Northcote as a precaution, and working with the industry to control fruit movements near Northcote.
Spokesperson Catherine Duthie said there was no evidence of an established breeding population.
"With this new detection our A-zone increases slightly so that's really important for people on the ground to know whether they are in the A zone.
"That will mean they won't be able to take any fruit or vegetable outside of that zone."
She said it was important that people living in and around the zones kept up to date with the latest information and adhered to movement restrictions.
The Ministry for Primary Industries said the find was disappointing, but showed the effectiveness of its surveillance programme.
It said Biosecurity New Zealand had to date disposed of more than five tonnes of food waste that communities in the controlled zones had put in the disposal bins.