[2] D. Starwalt, No Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), or melon fly, B. cucurbitae (Coquillett), infestations were found in culled banana samples. The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), commonly referred to as Medfly, is considered one of the world's most destructive pests . Larvae burrow into the pulp of developing fruit. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR). target the male flies. increase the amount and intensity of chemicals in pesticides because the However, if Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) Ceratitis capitata Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) (Ceratitis capitata) is an insect pest of fruits and vegetables. costly and time consuming to distinguish the two specificities and only The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), commonly referred to as Medfly, is considered one of the world's most destructive pests . Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. The Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis 2 .4 The Mediterranean Suit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) 7 2 .4 .1 The economic importance of fruit flies 7 2.4.2 Behaviour, biology and damage 8 2 4 3 Natural enemies of C capitata 9 2.4.4 Other Diptera often associated with dropped citrus fruits 10 2.4.5 Alternative host plants of C. capitata n 2.4.6 Control of C. capitata \] VUJI Analysis suggested that an outside hand played a role in the dense infestation. The female flies are actually the ones that cause the damage to the fruit by laying their eggs, therefore, the reproduction of females is the main focus of control. The Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) is considered the most important agricultural pest in the world. 2015. [3] J. Hendrichs, G. Franz and P. Rendon, "Increased [3] Overall, both tactics will be successful in Larval feeding damage in fruits is the most damaging. problem in Morocco and many other areas in the Mediterranean, South only the male flies are sterilized then they are more likely to disperse and Agriculture have been focused on SIT for four decades because (2010). One of the most disastrous pests, the Mediterranean fruit fly, or Ceratiitis capitata (Medfly), has afflicted areas from the Mediterranean, southern Europe, the Middle East, Western Australia, South and Central America and Hawaii. Allow authorized agricultural workers access to property to install and inspect insect-monitoring traps. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly, is one of the world's most destructive fruit pests. Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata PEST FACTSHEET A severe attack by the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was recorded for the first time in Central‐Northern Crete (Greece) on white variety table grapes (cv. Report suspected Mediterranean fruit fly to Biosecurity Queensland immediately on 13 25 23 or contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. Although several species of cucurbits have been recorded as hosts of the medfly, they are considered to be very poor hosts. Medfly, as it is commonly known, has been recorded to infest more than 200 hosts worldwide. Young fruits become distorted and usually drop. females is the main focus of control. benefits to humans and the environment. Cooperate with all quarantine restrictions or rules that might be imposed. The first of numerous U.S. mainland infestations occurred in Florida in 1929. health risks for consumers because they have residue on the produce the Some hosts have been recorded as medfly hosts only under laboratory conditions and may not be attacked in the field. Crops such as summerfruit, citrus, apples, pears, loquats, berries, grapes, olives, persimmons, tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, and mangoes can all be attacked. Never remove fresh produce from your property if your area is under MFF quarantine. The good news is that only two of them - the Queensland fly on the east coast and the Mediterranean fly … The Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata feeds and causes damage to a very wide range of crops. The damage caused by larval feeding makes fruit unfit for human consumption. This is a species of fruit fly capable of causing extensive damage to a wide range of fruit crops. Tropical fruit flies represent a major threat to California’s agriculture. When returning from international travel, declare all agricultural products to U.S. customs officials. The Medfly has spread throughout the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, the Middle East, Western Australia, South and Central America and Hawaii. consumers eventually eat. The Mediterranean fruit fly is responsible for the Females often oviposit in punctures made by other fruit flies such as those of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), with the result that many eggs often occur in a single cavity. Most of the damage to fruit is done by just 2 species - the exotic Mediterranean Fruit Fly on the western side of the continent and the native Queensland Fruit Fly in the east. [1]. Overtime, it is necessary to It has established infestations in parts of Europe, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as in Hawaii since 1910. widespread use would decrease the use of pesticides and result in major It is more effective in the widespread view reducing the number of medflies and possibly ending their existence in a Fruit flies attack and damage most kinds of soft skinned fruits and some harder skinned commodities. In 1989, a sudden invasion of Mediterranean fruit flies appeared in California and began devastating crops. Many approaches were taken to decrease the number of and ensure no major problems inflicted on the environment and/or humans Scientists were puzzled and said that the sudden appearance of the insects "defies logic", and some speculated "biological terrorists" were responsible. Mediterranean fruit fly is a prohibited plant pest under the Biosecurity Act 2014. No fertile eggs are produced from this encounter, rendering the fruit fly population smaller in the next generation, although adult wild females may still cause probing damage. At present, however, there is a major dependence on aerial or ground insecticide applications to protect commercial crops against the Mediterranean fruit fly. Which crops are attacked by fruit fly? Biol., 12, 291 Modify your browser's settings to allow Javascript to execute. Hungry Pests - Pest Tracker. The Mediterranean fruit fly (or medfly), Ceratitis capitata Wied., is considered a major agricultural pest worldwide because of its direct damage to fruit and vegetable production, and restrictions imposed to commercialization of horti-cultural commodities by countries free of the pest. The FAO/IAEA Programme on Nuclear Techniques in Food Includes information for Mexican Fruit Fly, Mediterranean Fruit Fly, and Oriental Fruit Fly. flies/insects become immune and pass on genes that prepare the next radiation, is used when one specific insect is overwhelming a particular J. Agric. to sterilize only the male insects, however, it is also more difficult, - pupa:reddish-brown . Do not bring or mail fresh fruits, vegetables, plants into your state or another state unless agricultural inspectors have cleared them first. See what states have a federal quarantine for any of the targeted Hungry Pests, and identify which pests or diseases are at greatest risk due to a suitable habitat. - Egg: white, tapering, 1 mm long. (See Fig. USDA. Roots Ceratitis rosa is recorded from over 100 plant species. attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is a serious horticultural pest in Western Australia. 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