I think I have Queensland fruit fly in my tomatoes. What do I do to stop further infestation. To watch my first large crop being spoilt is really depressing.
Hello Merrilie, the best thing for it will be to cover them with cloth bags. The restriction of light won't stop them ripening but will keep the bugs off.
The alternative to chemicals is Yates Nature's Way Fruit Fly Control which is eco-friendly being based on Spinosad, a naturally-derived insecticide.
Yates sales blurb goes like this:-
Yates Nature’s Way Fruit Fly Control works by tricking the insect into absorbing the spinosad that’s been combined with an irresistible bait. After she emerges from her pupal case in the soil, the female fly looks to feed on a source of protein before she lays her eggs. When she eats the protein and sugar bait in Nature’s Way Fruit Fly Control, she also ingests a dose of the insecticide, which means she never makes it to the egg-laying stage.
Here's a link to the product in our Garden Shop:-
https://www.gardensonline.com.au/Shopping/GardenShop/Show_6533.aspx