Scientific Name: Ceratitis capitata Weidemann
Order and Family: Diptera, Tephritidae
Description
The Mediterranean fruit fly is slightly smaller than a housefly with an average length of 3.5-5.0 mm. The adult has a predominantly dark body with two white bands on the yellowish abdomen. The wings have brown, yellow, black, and white markings. The female has a pointed, slender ovipositor to deposit eggs beneath the skin of the host fruit. The larvae is a legless maggot, creamy white in color, and may grow to a length of 0.4 inches within the host fruit.
History and Economic Importance
The Mediterranean fruit fly was first discovered in the Hawaiian Islands in 1910. With an abundant supply of host fruit in which to lay its eggs, the fly multiplied rapidly, seriously reducing the yield and quality to many crops such as mango, guava, avocado, papaya, coffee, peach, and persimmon. A great number of crops in California would be treatened by the introduction of this pest including: apricot, avocado, grapefruit, nectarine, orange, peach, and cherry. It has been estimated that the permanent presence of this pest in California would result in yearly losses of over $205 million in crop damages, additional pesticide use, and quantine requirements. This pest has been introduced periodically in the State from 1975 to 1984. Five infestations have been eradicated previously.Distribution
The Mediterranean fruit fly is widespread throughout Australia, Central and South America, Europe, and Africa. Its distribution is the United States is restricted to the Hawaiian Islands.Life Cycle
A female lays eggs in groups of one to six eggs within the fruit, and may lay as many as 1,200 eggs in her lifetime. The larvae tunnel through the fruit feeding on the pulp, shed their skins twice, and emerge through exit holes in seven to 24 days. The mature larvae drop from the fruit and burrow beneath the soil to pupate. In eight to 46 days, the adults emerge from these puparia. The newly emerged adults require from four to 10 days to mature prior to egg-laying. Breeding is continuous, with several annual generations. The average life span of the adult is about 30 days. Under optimum conditions the entire life cycle may be completed in 30 days, but requires longer time intervals at lower temperaturesHosts and Damage
The Mediterranean fruit fly has been recorded infesting over 200 different types of fruits and vegetables. A partial host list is included in the quarantine section of this document. Fruit that has been attacked may be unfit to eat--larvae tunnel through the flesh as they feed. Decay organisms enter, leaving the interior of the fruit a rotten mass.
