The Ministry for Primary Industries, still engaged in a biosecurity battle against the yellow legged hornet, has begun another fight after finding a single male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland’s Mt Roskill.

It has set traps, is inspecting fruit grown in the area, and again is engaged with securing community cooperation, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.

No further fruit flies have been found as its stepped-up surveillance continues.

“Our team was busy all weekend finishing the installation of signs, additional traps, and fruit disposal bins, and sharing information with the community at local markets,” says Mr Inglis.

“Special bins are in place in the controlled area for fruit and vegetable waste disposal. There is one for each household in Zone A and bins are publicly available right across Zone B. We’ve shared an interactive map today showing the location of those Zone B bins, where you can search for your nearest bins based on your address.”

Full information about the response can be found at Queensland fruit fly detection in Mt Roskill, Auckland

“We have a specialist team working in a mobile laboratory in the area, collecting and inspecting fruit for evidence of Queensland fruit fly,” says Mr Inglis.

“Since Friday, they have sliced and examined nearly 55kg of fruit, and it is pleasing we still have no indication of an established breeding population.”

Last week, legal controls were introduced to restrict the movement of fruit and vegetables around the location where the fruit fly was found to stop the spread of any other Queensland fruit flies that may be out there. Signs have been installed at every road entrance and exit to the controlled area, reminding people of the restrictions.

Mr Inglis thanked the local community for their support for the ministry’s work. In the previous 14 occasions fruit flies have been found in New Zealand, officials have successfully eradicated them with the help of their horticulture sector partners and local communities.

By the time of the fruit fly’s discovery, millions of dollars were being redirected by the government and sent to combat the growing number of yellow-legged hornets in Auckland.

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said the government has committed $12 million to cover the cost of the response to the incursion to 30 June.

“Action now will be the most cost-effective way to get on top of this rather than any delay,” Mr Hoggard said while announcing the funding at MPI offices in Auckland.

Officials were “pretty certain” the hornets are from a single incursion, the minister said.

“So, it’s important that we get on top of this pest and eliminate it, particularly, we’re pretty certain that this is just a single incursion.

“And so action now will be the most cost-effective way to get on top of this rather than any delay.”

But Rural News reports that MPI’s response to the yellow-legged hornet has received a mixed report card from New Zealand Beekeeping Inc (NZBI). It has praised the Ministry’s expansion of response funding and front-line efforts in Auckland but criticised the ministry for not focusing enough on regions outside the city.