The oriental fruit fly, of its Latin name Bactrocera dorsalishas been identified several times on Belgian markets. Scrupulously watched by AFSCA, this insect can ravage whole stocks of fruits and vegetables. But the chances that this harmful settled in the orchards permanently in the orchard.
It is not larger than the nail of an inch. Discreet, she sneaks between stalls of mangoes, bananas and grenades without the knowledge of itinerant merchants. But behind his harmlessthe oriental fruit of the fruit can cause serious damage.
Originally from Southeast Asia, this harmful has made its way to Belgium. Mid-July, two specimens detected on a Molenbeek-Saint-Jean market. At the start of the week, two new insects were again spotted on Belgian soil, respectively in Antwerp et Koekelberg. In total, more than Eleven flies have been identified in the territory Since 2023. What worry the Federal Food Chain Safety Agency (AFSCA), which calls for consumers, producers and merchants to vigilant facing the Economic and environmental threat What does the Bactrocera dorsalis.
Safe for humans, the oriental fly of fruit is indeed considered to be “One of the most devastating insects in the world”specifies Thierry Hance, professor of biology and entomology at UClouvain. It is also on the list of 20 priority quarantine organizations of the European Union, which imposes on the member states a increased monitoring of these species.
300 threatened fruit species
Concretely, the eastern fly, in the state of larvaewill destroy the fruit by feeding abundantly from its chair. “The adult insect lays its eggs under the epidermis of the fruit,” explains Thierry Hance. The eggs will then hatch and turn into a larva, which will widen inside the fruit. This will then be wicked And, therefore, completely inedible. “
If these insects are so pest, it is especially because of their Multivoltine propertythat is to say their ability to reproduce several times a year. “An adult female can lay a lot, insists the professor in biology, also a member of the Earth and Life Institute. We talk about More than a thousand eggs. So you imagine the damage it can do on fruit stall… ”. The oriental fly is also very polyphage: it can infest more than 300 fruit species different. “The larvae only need a sufficiently ripe and sweet flesh To develop, specifies Thierry Hance. Originally, they are mainly fond of the mangoes or the fruits of the dragon, but they can even attack the prunes or the banana. They can thus destroy whole cargoes and pose big economic problems to producers, especially in Asia. ”
A sporadic presence
After colonizing the majority of Southeast Asia, the Bactrocera dorsalis spread to sub -Saharan Africa from the 2000s, before being detected in Hawaii in 2012 and at theReunion Island In 2017. It was identified for the first time on European soil (southern Italy) in 2018. Its presence in Belgium is more punctualresulting from Importing contaminated fruit Via professional traders or return of travel, specifies AFSCA. “Recent specimens have also been identified in traps near exotic markets or cups of composts“Indicates Kathy Brison, AFSCA communications manager.
For the time being, the presence of these oriental drosophiles remains sporadic. “Nothing indicates that a population of these insects have been established in Belgium,” confirms AFSCA. The Belgian climate is indeed indeed not favorable to their lasting installation. “These flies do not survive temperatures less than two degreesexplains Thierry Hance. Our winters warm up strongly to observe the establishment of colonies.For the moment, the risk is therefore limited to traders Working on the markets during the summer season, without directly threatening Belgian fruiticulturalists.
Among Walloon producers, the time is therefore not alarmism. “We are rather in a phase d’observation For the moment, ”confirms Olivier Warnier, director of the Walloon fruit center. “Especially since we do a lot of direct saleswithout large storage volumes, completes Hélène Bullen, manager of the Walloon Fraiserist Grouping. The strawberry season soon to end its end, we should be spared this year. But we will have to remain vigilant for the years to come and Continue to monitor these insects.»
An application to identify it
This does not prevent Walloon producers from being infested with other harmfuls: the Asian Moucheron (drosophila suzukii), ascent from the south of France in Belgium via commercial circuits, devastates many cultures. “We must also deal with the Asian hornetadds Olivier Warnier. These are just as many challenges that we have to manage on a daily basis. If the threat of Oriental fruit fly One day is materialized, it will also be necessary to do with it. ”
To limit the risk of spreading, AFSCA performs a Annual oriental flies control of fruit In 30 risky sites across the country, At the beginning of June to the end of August. She also performs Systematic inspections for imports of fruits and cultures Throughout the year. Last May, she launched (in collaboration with the “Living Lab Plant & Soil”) the Pestfly project, which aims to deploy more traps to detect the insect early.
AFSCA also counts on the collaboration of citizens to avoid contamination. She thus asks Professional fruit and vegetable producers to report any potential detection of Bactrocera dorsalis to the local AFSCA control unit. She also calls travelers to Do not bring back fruit and vegetables from abroad (a practice also strictly regulated). Finally, she advises individuals install l’application ObsIdentify, which allows, on the basis of a simple photo, to recognize insects. In the event of identification of an oriental fruit fly, AFSCA will be automatically warned and may intervene accordingly, thanks to a geolocation system.
How to spot the oriental fruit fly?
At the adult stage, the oriental fly of the fruit measures between 0.8 and 1 cmor about half the size of a common wasp. “It can therefore quickly go unnoticed, especially in the markets that swarm people,” says Thierry Hance. Unlike wasps, the fly does not have four, but two wings. It presents two yellow bands on the edge of the thorax, a black edge On the wings and a T -shaped pattern on the abdomen. “The abdomen ends at the point, which is the ovipositor, Specifies the biologist, that is to say the tool which allows the female to pierce the skin of the fruits and to lay her eggs inside. ”
THE larvaethey are white cream And present a Asticot shape typical. “Generally, the fruit will already be altered, so the consumer will be able to identify them easily,” explains the professor of the UClouvain. But even in the event of ingestion, the contaminated fruit will not cause no danger for humans or animals. The larvae are not not toxic organizations.»
