Traps to detect oriental fruit flies in Antwerp: 'A threat to fruit and vegetable cultivation'

Traps have been deployed across Antwerp province by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) in an effort to detect the oriental fruit fly, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to the region's fruit and vegetable cultivation. These monitoring devices are strategically placed near markets selling exotic fruits and community compost heaps, identified as potential hotspots for the pest.

In total, traps have been set up at approximately 30 high-risk locations throughout Belgium. The FAVV is also encouraging the public to report potential sightings using the free app ObsIdentify, which automatically alerts the agency if an oriental fruit fly is identified. The traps themselves contain a scent lure to attract the flies. If a fly is captured, its sex is determined, and authorities assess whether it indicates an established population or an isolated, imported case.

So far, no established population of the oriental fruit fly has been found in Belgium. In the province of Antwerp, 13 individual male flies have been detected over the past few years, suggesting they were likely accidental travelers. The agency notes that Belgian winters are generally too cold for the insects to survive and establish a breeding population. However, during warmer summer months, such a population could cause considerable damage by consuming fruit flesh, rendering crops unfit for consumption. The oriental fruit fly, scientifically known as Bactrocera dorsalis, was first observed in Belgium in 2023, but monitoring has been ongoing.