Aussie researcher develops fruit fly trap that stops insects from destroying crops

A new fruit fly trap developed by Australia's Griffith University researchers, has given hope to Queensland farmers in the fight against the devastating insects.

The brand new piece of technology, called the Fruition fruit fly trap, was launched at the university's campus on Monday and described as "a big step forward" in combating the insects problem on corps, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Australian Registration Authority has been gradually withdrawing the use of insecticide cover sprays, which prevents fruit flies from damaging crops, due to health and environmental issues.

Griffith School of Environment Professor Dick Drew, who developed the Fruition trap, said these sprays had been used for the last 40 years.

"Farmers have very little to protect their crops and this fills the gap," he said.

Drew said sometimes farmers could "lose entire crops" to fruit flies.

"The female fruit fly contains fertile eggs, she then goes and lays these eggs just under skin of ripe fruit," Drew said.

"These eggs then hatch into maggots, the fruit rots and falls to ground," he said.

Drew said his new Fruition trap is specially designed to attract female fruit flies, the culprit behind bad corps.

Drew came up with the idea to develop the trap after spending almost 50 years researching fruit flies.

The results were Queensland fruit flies liked domes or spheres and were attracted to cobalt blue, which has been included in the Fruition design.

The trap also contains a range of specific chemicals fruit flies were drawn to.

After drawing the female fruit flies in, the Fruition has a sticky surface to trap the insect and prevent her from devastating crops.

After decades of fruit fly research, Drew said the launch of the new trap was "really satisfying."

"We now have a really good answer to the fruit fly problem to obviate the use of the cover sprays," he said. Endit