Pestfly Patrol
Project title
Pestfly Patrol
Monitoring action of the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) by citizens in Belgium
Location
Belgium
Duration
June 2026 – August 2026
Exotic fruits sometimes carry stowaways
The Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) enters Belgium mainly through the import of infested exotic fruits, such as mangoes or guavas. The larvae can develop in other fruits, causing significant economic damage. It was first detected in Belgium in August 2023, at the Zaterdagmarkt in Antwerp. The citizen science project Pestfly Patrol aims to prevent its entry into the EU via Belgian trade, or its spread from other European countries.
We invite you to participate in the project by hanging a trap at the top of or next to a compost heap, monitoring it, and uploading your observations to our project page on the iNaturalist online platform. This will allow you to share your findings with our project team and the scientific community.
Why your contribution is essential
By monitoring the oriental fruit fly, we can provide authorities with scientific data on the routes taken by infested fruit, helping them to make research-based decisions. This requires the collection of a significant amount of data. Your participation will enable data from non-commercial sites to be collected for the first time in Belgium. It will also help to detect the presence of the fly earlier, thereby speeding up the authorities' response. In addition, thanks to the involvement of citizens, we will be able to cover the entire country, rather than just the major cities as has been the case until now.
Who can participate?
Anyone with access to a compost heap.
When?
The monitoring campaign by citizens will take place in summer 2026. Registrations will open in spring 2026.
Where?
Across Belgium.
How to participate?
1. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when the project launches in 2026.
2. Order and receive your Oriental fruit fly observation kit in 2026.
3. Set up the trap next to your compost for three months and check it once a week.
4. Install the iNaturalist app and submit your weekly observations.
Our partners
Pestfly is funded by Federal Public Service (FPS) Public Health (RF25/03).
