They may be a tiny insect, but fruit flies cause big damage. Each year they cost Australian producers millions of dollars and are a source of stress and frustration for many gardeners. The good news? You can take steps to stop the spread of fruit flies at home.

We’ve developed a simple, easy-to-follow guide to help you better understand the behaviour of this tiny imposter and make informed decisions about controlling them in your home garden.

The guide includes different management activities for different times of year, targeting specific aspects of the fruit fly’s behaviour.

The best part is that these management activities won’t just help your own garden—anything you can do to help control them will also be important for horticultural producers in your region. We all have a role to play, and every step towards control counts.