Ceratitis cosyra (Walker)
From Entomology Circulars.
Ceratitis cosyra is commonly known as the mango fruit fly or marula fruit fly based on its common occurrence in these host plants. Marula is a native African fruit related to mango and sometimes known locally as wild plum. …read more
Mexican Fruit Fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew)
From Entomology Circulars.
Mexican fruit fly is a very serious pest of various fruits, particularly citrus and mango, in Mexico and Central America. Its natural distribution includes the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where populations routinely attain pest status if control measures are not practiced. …read more
Pea Leaf Miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis
From Entomology Circulars.
Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), the pea leaf miner, is a highly polyphagous leaf miner capable of inflicting severe damage to crops. Affected crops include field- and glasshouse-grown vegetables and flowers. The pea leaf miner apparently originated in South America and has spread to other continents where established populations are growing ever more difficult to control. …read more
Florida Bee Killers: Mallophora
From Entomology Circulars.
Three large predaceous robber flies of the genus Mallophora occur in Florida. Mallophora bomboides (Wiedemann) is known as the “Florida bee killer”; M. orcina (Wiedemann) as the “southern bee killer”; and M. nigra Williston as the “black bee killer” (Bromley 1950). …read more
Blueberry Maggot, Rhagoletis mendax
From Entomology Circulars.
The blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran, is an important pest of commercially grown blueberries (Marucci 19,66). Since first reported in 1914 in Maine and New Hampshire, the blueberry maggot has damaged crops primarily in northeastern and north central United States and Canada (Milholland and Meyer 1984). …read more
Lovebug, Plecia nearctica Hardy
From Entomology Circulars.
Plecia nearctica (Fig. 1) is the lovebug that motorists frequently encounter as a serious nusiance when traveling in southern states. It was first described by Hardy (1940) from Galveston, Texas, and at that time he reported it to be widely spread, but more common in Texas and Louisiana than other Gulf Coast states. …read more
Larvae of Fruit Flies. 6. Anastrepha interrupta (Schoepfia fruit fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
The schoepfia fruit fly, Anastrepha interrupta Stone, is native to southern Florida and one of six Anastrepha species known to occur in Florida. The species was described from southern Florida (Stone, 1942) and is thus far known only from coastal counties of south-central Florida to Key West. …read more
Larvae of Fruit Flies. V Dacus cucurbitae (Melon Fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
The melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, is widespread throughout most of Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia, also ranging north to Japan and nearby Pacific islands. It has been introduced into Hawaii (Back & Pemberton, 1917) and has been intercepted occasionally in California and ports of entry in Houston, Mobile, and Boston. …read more
Citrus Gall Midge, Prodiplosis lonqifila Gagne
From Entomology Circulars.
The citrus gall midge Prodiplosis longifila Gagne was first found in Florida by Rainwater ( 1934). This gall midge was recently collected on lime, trees, Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle, at Homestead, Dade Co., …read more
Larvae of Fruit Flies. IV Dacus dorsalis (Oriental Fruit Fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
The oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel, originally described from Taiwan, is one of the most destructive fruit fly pests of east Asia and the Pacific, second only to the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). …read more
The Cassava Shoot Fly, Neosilba Perezi (Romero And Ruppel)
From Entomology Circulars.
Neosilba perezi (Romero and Ruppel) is a pest of Manihot esculenta Crantz, which is known as cassava, manioc, and yuca (not yucca). This lonchaeid was described originally in the genus Silba (Romero and Ruppel, 1973) but is now placed in the genus Neosilba based on the work of McAlpine (1962). …read more
Guava fruit fly, Dacus (Strumeta) correctus (Bezzi)
From Entomology Circulars.
Dacus correctus (Bezzi),often referred to as the guava fruit fly (although the larvae of many other species of fruit flies feed on guava), was detected for the first time in the Western Hemisphere when 1 ♂ was found on 6 August 1986 in a methyl eugenol-baited Jackson trap in Garden Grove, Orange County, California. …read more
Larvae Of Fruit Flies. III. Toxotrypana Curvicauda (Papaya Fruit Fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
The papaya fruit fly, Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstraecker, is primarily of concern only in papaya growing areas of the United States and the neotropics. It is the most destructive pest encountered by papaya growers. …read more
Larvae Of Fruit Flies. II. Ceratitis Capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
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. …read more
Larvae Of Fruit Flies. I. Anastrepha Ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly) And Anastrepha Suspensa (Caribbean Fruit Fly)
From Entomology Circulars.
Fruit fly adults of Florida, plus exotics potentially of danger to Florida agriculture, have been discussed in several circulars by H. V. Weems, Jr. The present circular initiates a series on their larvae, primarily as an identification guide to the larvae of fruit flies of concern to Florida agriculture. …read more
Beelouse, Braula Coeca Nitzsch
From Entomology Circulars.
The beelouse, Braula coeca Nitzsch 1818 (fig. 1), is a tiny commensalate wingless fly found in colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, where it lives on the bodies of the bees and literally steals its food out of the mouth of its host. …read more
Anastrepha striata Schiner
From Entomology Circulars.
Anastrepha striata Schiner (1868: 264), is one of the most common species of fruit flies throughout most of its range. It, however, has not acquired a well established common name as have others such as the Mexican, Caribbean, and Mediterranean fruit fly. …read more
Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)
From Entomology Circulars.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), is one of the world’s most destructive fruit pests. Because of its wide distribution over the world, its ability to tolerate colder 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. …read more
Anastrepha Fraterculus (Wiedemann)
From Entomology Circulars.
Anastrepha fraterculus was described in the genus Dacus by Wiedemann (1830), based on specimens from Brasil. This species is of great economic importance because of the wide variety of plants which it attacks and its extensive distribution. …read more
The Sand Flies (Culicoides) Of Florida
From Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas.
Except for mosquitoes, probably no other in sects in Florida cause more human discomfort than the tiny biting midges which in Florida are commonly called sand flies. Especially along some sea coast areas these little flies, almost invisible to the unaided eye, can make life intolerable in early morning, all day on overcast days, around dusk, and all night on warm, moonlit nights. …read more
Darkwinged Fungus Gnats, Bradysia spp., In Florida Greenhouses
From Entomology Circulars.
Most species of darkwinged fungus gnats (Sciaridae) feed on fungi and decaying organic matter and are not considered economic problems. A few species, however, attack healthy tissue of such economic plants as potatoes, wheat, red clover, alfalfa, cultivated mushrooms, pine seedlings, and various ornamentals, including tulip bulbs, ferns, begonias, coleus, geraniums, cacti, young orchids, areca palm, and dracaenas. …read more
The Vegetable Leafminer, Liriomyza Sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae), In Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
Liriomyza species have periodically plagued Florida vegetable and ornamental growers since the late 1940’s. Although normally present in moderate numbers, populations in south Florida have reached epidemic proportions in the late 1940’s, early 1960’s, and early 1970’s. …read more
Diachlorus Ferrugatus (Fabricius), A Fierce Biting Fly
From Entomology Circulars.
A Blotch Leafminer, Amauromyza Maculosa (Malloch) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) Pest Of Chrysanthemum
From Entomology Circulars.
A blotch leafminer, Amauromyza maculosa (Malloch), is a pest of dooryard plantings of chrysanthemum throughout most of florida. It is not an important pest of commercial chrysanthemums in the principal commercial planting areas of Bradenton-Ft. …read more
Apple Maggot, Rhagoletis Pomonella (Walsh)
From Entomology Circulars.
The apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) is an insect native to North America which originally fed in the fruit of wild hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). During the past 100 years it has become a primary pest of cultivated apples, especially in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. …read more
The Corn Blotch Leafminer, Agromyza Parvicornis Loew
From Entomology Circulars.
The corn blotch leafminer, Agromyza parvicornis Loew, was first described in 1869 by H. Loew in Germany. His description was based on male (♂) and female (♀) specimens received from Washington, D. C. …read more
Cherry Fruit Fly, Cherry Maggot, Rhagoletis Cingulata (Loew)
From Entomology Circulars.
A Hover Fly, Allograpta Obliqua (Say)
From Entomology Circulars.
One of the colorful and common little flies in Florida which is most often mistaken for a harmful fruit fly is Allograpta obliqua (Say), a hover fly, flower fly, or syrphid fly, these flies are expert fliers and can hover or fly backward, an ability possessed by few insects other than syrphid flies. …read more
The “Love-bug,” Plecia Nearctica Hardy
From Entomology Circulars.
Since 1965, high populations of this fly have occurred over the northern half of peninsular Florida. This is a native insect that has apparently been present in this area in insignificant numbers. The reasons for the current “population explosions” are unknown. …read more
West Indian Fruit Fly Anastrepha Mombinpraeoptans Seín
From Entomology Circulars.
The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha mombinpraeoptans is the most abundant species of Anastrepha in the West Indies and one of the most abundant species in Panama. It was described originally by Seín in 1933 as a variety of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann). …read more
Ctenodactylomyia Watsoni Felt, A Gall Midge Pest Of Seagrape, Coccoloba Uvifera L., In Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
This gall midge is commonly called the seagrape blister gall. It produces numerous unsightly, blisterlike galls (fig. 1 & 2) on leaves, thus substantially decreasing the value of infested plants in nurseries or in landscape situations. …read more
A Picture-winged Fly, Delphinia Picta (Fabricius)
From Entomology Circulars.
Several of the native picture-winged flies in the family Otitidae often are confused with fruit flies in the family Tephritidae. While the females of most species of Tephritidae oviposit in living, healthy plant tissue and their larvae live and feed in various parts of the plant, the larvae of most species of Otitidae are saprophagic, although a few, such as Tritoxa flexa (Wiedemann) and Tetanops myopaeformis (Roder), attack living plant tissue. …read more
Anastrepha Serpentina (Wiedemann)
From Entomology Circulars.
The “dark fruit fly” is intercepted frequently in United States ports of entry in various hosts from several countries. It is an important species in Mexico because its larvae infest sapote (Calocarpum spp.), …read more
