2023-09-01 06:38:53
They are at our doorstep and threaten our crops… “They” are the harmful insects which have appeared in Western Europe and which make occasional incursions into our territory. Example: Bactrocera dorsalis.
This small black and yellow insect, of the family and size of flies, is also called “oriental fruit fly”. And the fruits, he devours them with an insatiable appetite!
François Verheggen, professor of entomology at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech – ULiège, knows this fly but would like to study it more closely. According to this insect pest specialist, it represents a real threat: “It’s a fly that comes from South East Asia. It has already made appearances in Italy and France and has been reported in a batch of imported fruit in Antwerp”.
“It is to be watched very closely because it is very harmfulwarns the expert. It reproduces easily and spreads just as easily when the climatic conditions are met, which is increasingly the case in Europe. When it attacks a fruit plantation, it is capable of destroying it in a few days. It lays eggs in the flesh and the larvae develop without being seen. The fruit then becomes completely unfit for consumption. A disaster for the agri-food sector.“
Because the particularity of this oriental fly is that unlike many other species of specialized insects, it likes all fruits! And especially the grapes.
A real threat
And the FASFC, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, is not mistaken and calls on all professionals in the sector to be vigilant. “If you think you spot it, do not hesitate to contact us immediately.“, warns Jean Sébastien Walhin his spokesperson.
In the adult stage, it measures between 0.8 and 1 cm and is recognizable by the two yellow bands on the edges of its thorax, the black border on the edge of its wings and the “T”-shaped pattern on its abdomen. And not to be mistaken: a wasp is more imposing than this fly, the wasp has two pairs of visible wings (and not only one visible in the case of the fly) and has larger antennae and mandibles. The bee is hairy while the oriental fruit fly is not.
In the first case, which is the most likely, efforts will be made to trace the origin of the contamination and prevent the spread of the insect. In the second case, a security perimeter around the place of detection will be established within which strict measures will be taken to prevent propagation.
If you import fruit and vegetables, follow import rules and always operate under cover of a phytosanitary certificate.
For any additional information, you can contact your Local FASFC Control Unit via this link.
Sunday gardeners also concerned
So keep an eye out for flies circulating around your plants and if you identify any that look very similar to the photos below, you have to act fast.
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#species #insect #pests #doorstep
