What can fruit flies smell?

Sterile Queensland fruit flies are being imported over the next few months for use in a research project to identify new attractants that may have the potential to improve surveillance and response for this unwanted pest.

As part of a long-term project to learn more about odour attractants, the flies are being used within a containment facility at Plant and Food Research to identify firstly any odours that flies can smell, and secondly, any behavioural activity they then demonstrate – such as flight towards odours. This work will allow scientists to then identify which compounds have the most potential to improve current surveillance and response systems.

Over 50 odours have so far been identified that female and / or male flies can detect and combinations of these will be trialled to determine flies response to any of these, or combinations of these, better than the existing attractants.

Read more about the ongoing research project in the Fruit Fly section of the KVH website.