Larvae Of Fruit Flies. II. Ceratitis Capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly)

This second in a series of circulars on fruit fly larvae (see Heppner, 1984) describes the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). It is the most destructive of the fruit flies, particularly of citrus and a number of other commercial fruit crops. The species originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa and is not known to be established in the United States. It has been detected in Florida and California, especially in recent years, and each infestation necessitated intensive and massive eradication and detection procedures so that the pest did not become established. The entomology circulars by Weems (1962, 1981) provide details of the distribution of the species and adult morphology, as well as listings of known hosts, involving over 260 different kinds of fruits.