UH Mānoa agricultural college seeks input on fruit fly management

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience is asking farmers, home gardeners, landscapers and others across the state to complete a survey to strengthen efforts to control invasive fruit flies in Hawaiʻi.

Available at pears.io through June 30, the survey seeks feedback to help researchers understand the current status of fruit fly infestations and refine management strategies.

Invasive fruit flies damage more than 400 varieties of fruits and vegetables in Hawaiʻi and cause an estimated $300 million in economic harm to local agriculture annually, according to researchers.

Broad public participation is essential to the project’s goals, said Pascal Aigbedion-Atalor, an assistant professor and extension entomologist at the college.

“Community voices are a major part of this food security project,” he said. “We want hundreds of responses from stakeholders across the state to ensure our future research and outreach meet the needs of our farming community.”

The survey is part of a larger initiative funded by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. As part of that effort, researchers — working alongside growers and private industry — have launched field studies on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui and Oʻahu to monitor fly populations and evaluate the effectiveness of trapping and baiting techniques suited to Hawaiʻi’s tropical environment.

The college has also expanded community outreach, with extension agents hosting workshops and producing instructional videos on sanitation practices and proper bait application.