Queensland Fruit Fly

Queensland Fruit Fly

Bactrocera tryoni

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Sydney

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

12 Verified sightings at Sydney
September Best month

About the Queensland Fruit Fly

Bactrocera tryoni, the Queensland fruit fly, is a species of fly in the family Tephritidae in the insect order Diptera. B. tryoni is native to subtropical coastal Queensland and northern New South Wales. They are active during the day, but mate at night. B. tryoni lay their eggs in fruit. The larvae then hatch and proceed to consume the fruit, causing the fruit to decay and drop prematurely. B. tryoni are responsible for an estimated $28.5 million a year in damage to Australian crops and are the most costly horticultural pest in Australia. Up to 100% of exposed fruit can be destroyed due to an infestation of this fly species. Previously, pesticides were used to eliminate B. tryoni from damaging crops. However, these chemicals are now banned. Thus, experts devoted to B. tryoni control have transitioned to studying this pests' behaviors to determine a new method of elimination.

Adult B. tryoni flies are reddish brown in color, have distinct yellow markings and are typically 5–8 mm in length. Adults hold their wings horizontally when walking and flick them in a specific, characteristic manner. The wingspan of B. tryoni ranges from 4.8 to 6.3 mm. B. tryoni may be mistaken... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
2 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
3 Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Queensland Fruit Fly in Sydney?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Queensland Fruit Fly sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 446th most-seen of the 742 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Queensland Fruit Fly in Sydney?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Queensland Fruit Fly in Sydney on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Is Sydney the best place to see a Queensland Fruit Fly?

Among the best

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Queensland Fruit Fly sightings, Sydney ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Melbourne (Australia, under 5%) and Brisbane (Australia, under 5%).

Where does the Queensland Fruit Fly sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Queensland Fruit Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (12 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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