Head and buccal carinae of larva of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Ceratitis citriperda MacLeay Figure 24. The anterior spiracles have the tubule edge relatively straight dorsally and the tubule number usually is nine to 10, although it can be from seven to 11. Adults are collected primarily by use of sticky-board traps and baited traps (USDA 1997). Thus, the optimum fumigation temperature for Mediterranean and oriental fruit fly eggs and larvae was 25°C. Graphic by Division of Plant Industry. Worldwide: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America, and South America. They can be distinguished fairly readily from any of the native fruit flies of the New World. The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the most damaging horticultural insect pests. The species originated in sub-Saharan Africa and is not known to be established in the continental United States. The kind and condition of the fruit often influence the length of the larval stage. 1976. (USDA/NISIC) United States Department Agriculture / National Invasive Species Information Center. Development is temperature dependent. The larvae stage of this insect is the most dangerous stage as it is within the pulp of the fruit, making it hard to detect by visual inspection. Larvae of fruit flies. Figure 12. Graphic by Division of Plant Industry. Medfly, as it is commonly known, infest more than 200 hosts worldwide. Freezing fruit for a few days or cooking or pureeing fruit (which can then be fed to poultry or pigs) are other methods of disposal. Adult Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), feeding on a cotton wick soaked with a bait-dye mixture. Knowledge of the hosts in one country often aids in correctly predicting those which are most likely to be infested in a newly infested country, but what may be a preferred host in one part of the world may be a poor host in another. The patterned wings have yellowish brown bands extending to the wing tips (Figure 1). After breaking from its shell, the adult fly emerges! Host preferences vary in different regions. 1998, Papadopoulos 2008). Each egg is approximately 1 mm in length. Ripe fruit is likely to be more juicy, and such fruits often are associated with a high mortality of eggs and young larvae. Larvae leave the fruit in largest numbers at or just after daybreak and pupate in the soil or whatever is available. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society 12: 1-161. Scientific name: Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) and Queensland Fruit Fly (Bactrocera tryoni).Description. Fruit Flies of Economic Significance: Their Identification and Bionomics. Larvae may also attack young seedlings and succulent tap roots of. Thin-skinned, ripe succulent fruits are preferred. Photograph by Scott Bauer, USDA. Head is to the left. I. Liquido NJ, Shinoda LA, Cunningham RT. Minimum duration of the pupal stage is six to 13 days when the mean temperature ranges from about 76 to 79°F (24.4 to 26.1°C). The supposed supernumerary lateral papillules of the caudal end, noted by Phillips (1946), are not usually evident in specimens or at most represent only slight plate elevations on the very lateral edge dorsal to L1. Eggs of the Mediterranean fruit fly are laid below the skin of the host fruit. The micropylar region is distinctly tubercular. Figure 25. These are some of the most common marauders: Mediterranean fruit fly. The examined developmental stages were early eggs (<6 h), late eggs (>42 h), first instar, second instar and third instar larvae. Decay organisms enter, leaving the interior of the fruit a rotten mass. Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae) 3 Larvae Larvae are white with a typical fruit fly larval shape, i.e. Papadopoulos NT. 2010. Because of its wide distribution over the world, its ability to tolerate cooler climates better than most other species of fruit flies, and its wide range of hosts, it is ranked first among economically important fruit fly species. 77. Figure 9. Infest the fruits of many economically important species including: Females deposit 2 - 10 eggs under the skin of fruit that is just beginning to ripen, often in an area where some break in the skin has already occurred. Drosophila (/ d r ə ˈ s ɒ f ɪ l ə, d r ɒ-, d r oʊ-/) is a genus of flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "small fruit flies" or (less frequently) pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many species to linger around overripe or rotting fruit. They can be distinguished fairly readily from any of the native fruit flies of the New World. 13 pp. Spraying will take place in the core area of a positive find and extend out 1-1/2 miles. Lateral view of adult Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Figure 4. Foliage baiting Foliage baits consist of an insecticide (consult your local Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann is species of invasive pest that affects fruit production and export worldwide. Steck and B.D. It is a rapid colonizer and unlike most species of fruit flies, it can tolerate cooler climates. Light areas have very fine white bristles. Soil Drenching: The soil under host trees with fruit known or suspected to be infested with medfly larvae and host trees under adjacent properties will be treated. Incidence of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in Florida, 1929-1998. Mediterranean fruit fly. Eggs are deposited under the skin of fruit which is just beginning to ripen, often in an area where some break in the skin already has occurred. Fruit in a hard or semiripe condition is better for oviposition than fully ripened fruit. Mature attacked fruits may develop a water soaked appearance. Ayers EL. Detection of Mediterranean Fruit Fly Larvae Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephidae) in Different Types of Fruit by HS-SPME GC-MS Method Hasan Al-Khshemawee1,2, Manjree Agarwal1, Xin Du1, Yonglin Ren1* 1School of Veterinary and Life Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia 2College of Agriculture, Wasit University, Wasit, Iraq Abstract Thomas, M.C., J.B. Heppner, R.E. Their favourites are apples, pears, stonefruit, citrus, and tomatoes. Two low-oxygen treatments were applied (0.5% O 2 + 99.5 N … Graphic by Division of Plant Industry. 36 pp. Figure 20. The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), is one of the world's most destructive fruit pests. Mediterranean fruit fly in the U.S. - 1975. The Mediterranean fruit fly attacks more than 260 different fruits, flowers, vegetables, and nuts. When the sterile flies mate with the fertile population, no offspring are produced. 2). Adult: The adult fly is 3.5 to 5 mm in length. Meyer CA. Larva: Larva are white with a typical fruit fly larval shape, i.e., cylindrical maggot-shape, elongate, anterior end narrowed and somewhat recurved ventrally, with anterior mouth hooks, and flattened caudal end. Photograph by Jeffery Lotz, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Plant Industry; www.forestryimages.org. Mediterranean fruit fly populations in the argan forest are characterized by high proportions of aborted oviposition events, ranging from 21 to 71%. The pharyngeal skeleton is distinctive in overall configuration, particularly the enlarged subhypostomium of the hypostomium (posterior to each mouth hook). Dean, D. 2012. The males are easily separated from all other members of this family by the black pointed expansion at the apex of the anterior pair of orbital setae. A female Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), pumps eggs through her ovipositor into the soft outer layers of a ripe coffee berry. Gradually, the wild flies can only find sterile flies to mate, the wild population is eradicated. 1984. Some hosts have been recorded as medfly hosts only under laboratory conditions and may not be attacked in the field. The scutellum is inflated and shiny black. Cooperative Mediterranean Fruit Fly Project (California). There are usually nine to 10 tubules, although there may be seven to 11. The larvae feed upon the pulp of host fruits, sometimes tunneling through it and eventually reducing the whole to a juicy, inedible mass. Publication EENY-214. Lack of fruit for three to four months reduces the population to a minimum. FAO/IAEA Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Seibersdorf, Austria. The larvae stage of this insect is the most dangerous stage as it is within the pulp of the fruit, making it hard to detect by visual inspection. An apricot affected by fruit fly, showing the larvae and damage done to fruit Australia’s horticultural production is valued at over $9 billion and employs over 60,000 people. During warm conditions and in ripe fruit, the life cycle can be as short as three to four weeks. Larvae. Photograph by Scott Bauer, USDA. Weeks, J.A., A.C. Hodges, and N.C. Leppla, Mediterranean fruit fly adult; photo by Scott Bauer, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, www.invasive.org, Mediterranean fruit fly adult; photo by Jeffrey Lotz, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Mediterranean fruit fly adult; photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS. The Mediterranean fruit fly will lay its eggs in fruits or vegetables, where the eggs hatch and larvae develop. Larvae pass through three instars. Larval cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Photograph by USDA. This species is native to north-eastern Australia. A new 15km quarantine area, limiting fruit movement, has been declared after the discovery of Queensland fruit fly larvae in Monash, after another outbreak in … The last instar is usually 7 to 9 mm in length, with eight ventral fusiform areas. Usually about 50% of the flies die during the first two months after emergence. The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), commonly referred to as Medfly, is considered one of the world's most destructive pests . 2001). At the next stage, the larva pupates by forming a hard shell around itself. Although Mediterranean fruit fly adult and third-instar larvae can usually be identified and distinguished from other species by morphological keys, it is often difficult or impossible to identify or distinguish this species from other tephritids by using material from other stages of development. Reinfestations in the same areas leads some experts to believe the California infestion was never eradicated but was instead reduced to subdetectable levels that periodically resurface (Dawson et al. Lower corners of the face have white setae. Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae) 3 Egg The egg is very slender, curved, 1 mm long, smooth and shiny white. The immature stages are superficially similar to those of other exotic fruit flies (Fig. The medfly has no near relatives in the Western Hemisphere. Fruit flies are serious pests in Hawaii, feeding on hundreds of host plant species. Characters of the larvae and pupae of certain fruit flies. Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture. An adult Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), emerging from a puparium. and J.L. There are four species of fruit fly found in Hawaii; the melon fly, the oriental fruit fly, the Mediterranean fruit fly, and the solanaceous fruit fly. This study used a low-oxygen/high-nitrogen bioassay to control C. capitata. Humeral bristles are present. Fully grown larvae, when the surrounding air temperature is warm, flex and "jump" repeatedly as much as 25 mm when removed from fruit. Figure 1. Three to six generations can occur per year. In this age of jet transportation, the medfly can be transported from one part of the world to some distant place in a matter of hours, which greatly complicates efforts to contain it within its present distribution. Head is to the left. Some countries maintain quarantines against the medfly, which could jeopardize some fresh fruit markets if it should become established in Florida. When the eggs hatch, the larvae promptly begin eating. Timely detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) is very important so that eradication action can be taken on time. The micropylar region is distinctly tubercular. There are a number of fruit flies in citrus. Back EA, Pemberton CE. Reducing MB concentrations required for phytosanitary fumigations would save time and expense, and reduce the amount of MB released into the atmosphere during aeration. Larvae are white with a flat pointed head. Use 3-5 traps/acre or 1-3 per backyard* Trimedlure: Mediterranean Fruit Fly. 1977. Young fruits become distorted and usually drop. Crop Knowledge Master: Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Adults emerge in largest numbers early in the morning during warm weather and emerge more sporadically during cool weather. Larval identification is based primarily on characters of mature 3rd instar larvae. It is a highly polyphagus species, able to feed on over 300 hosts and known to be capable of adapting to a wide range of climates –. Field guide to medfly infestation. Photograph by Jeffery Lotz, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Plant Industry. University of Florida. Figure 14. White IM, Elson-Harris MM. Although several species of cucurbits have been recorded as hosts of the medfly, they are considered to be very poor hosts. A starter diet for mass‐rearing larvae of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) As many as 115 have been found in a single infested fruit. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society 70: 67-69. Entomological Society of America. Dr. H. A. C. Fay. Although it may be a major pest of citrus, often it is a more serious pest of some deciduous fruits, such as peach, pear, and apple. Timely detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) is very important so that eradication action can be taken on time. The abdomen is oval with fine black bristles scattered on dorsal surface and two narrow transverse light bands on basal half. These traits along with its’ broad host range make the … Host preferences vary in different regions. 189 pp. Plus treatment strategies change in an environment of public concern about aerial application of insecticidal baits. A female medfly will lay one to 10 eggs in an egg cavity 1 mm deep, may lay as many as 22 eggs per day, and may lay as many as 800 eggs during her lifetime (usually about 300). In Florida, Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Plant Industry continually monitor the traps for the appearance of pest fruit flies. Dorsal view of adult male Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). This study used a low-oxygen/high-nitrogen bioassay to control C. capitata . The last instar is usually 7 to 9 mm in length, with eight ventral fusiform areas. University of Florida. United States: California (being eradicated), Florida (eradicated), Hawaii (eradicated), and Texas. Most previous illustrations of the cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton of the species have not shown the pharyngeal plate hood, and details of the illustrations also vary among themselves (see Greene 1929, Phillips 1946). 2012. Photograph by USDA. Inherited bacterial species which … Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). Pupae of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The shape of the interior sclerotizations of the dorsal wing plate and the hood of the pharyngeal plate are also distinctive for the species. Exotic Fruit Flies. Exotic Fruit Fly Pests in Florida: Past, Present, and Potential. University of Hawaii. In some of the Mediterranean countries, only the earlier varieties of citrus are grown, because the flies develop so rapidly that late season fruits are too heavily infested to be marketable. Because of its wide distribution over the world, its ability to tolerate cooler cli… Fasulo. (17 July 2001). The pharyngeal plate is elongate, with prominent median hood and anterior sclerotized area. (http://dpm.ifas.ufl.edu/plant_pest_risk_assessment/documents/Exotic_Fruit_Fly_Pests_report.pdf). Wings, usually held in a drooping position on live flies, are broad and hyaline with black, brown, and brownish yellow markings. Mediterranean fruit fly definition: a species of dipterous fly, Ceratitis capitata, having marbled wings, whose maggots... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is a serious horticultural pest in the South West of Western Australia. The buccal carinae number nine to 10. Caudal end of larva of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The Mediterranean fruit fly is one of the most common known pests in the agricultural industry. The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) lays as many as 500 eggs in citrus fruits (except lemons and sour limes). Journal of Economic Entomology 64: 708-713. This agrees with those observed by Back and Pemberton (1918) (0–71% on different species of citrus), and with Papaj et al. Stephenson DP. The anterior spiracles have the tubule edge relatively straight dorsally and the tubule number usually is nine to 10, although it can be from seven to 11. Photograph by Division of Plant Industry. Adults die within four days if they cannot obtain food. The adults are slightly smaller than a house fly and have picture wings typical of fruit flies. Life cycle of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), from left to right: adult, pupa, larva and eggs. 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