Flies

Scientific name

Order Diptera

Similar species

Citrus pest flies can be easily confused with wasps and bees. Each group can be identified by examining the mouthparts, body texture, and hindwings.

	Flies	Wasps	Bees
Body Texture	Slightly hairy	Shiny and smooth	Fuzzy
Mouthparts	Sponging	Chewing	Siphoning
Hindwinghindwing: the posterior or rear pair of wings in insects	Modified to knob-like stablizing structures (halteres)	Membranousmembranous: with the same character as a membrane, typically used to refer to structures like wings that are clear and translucent like a membrane	Membranousmembranous: with the same character as a membrane, typically used to refer to structures like wings that are clear and translucent like a membrane

Diagnostic characteristics

Adults

• Smallest size - 1.5 mm (0.06 in.).
• Largest size - 8 mm (0.31 in.).
• Gnat-like to house fly body shape with females usually larger than males.
• Either uniformly dark or vari-colored body with assorted spots or stripes.
• Body bristles (hair) either thick or sparse on thoraxthorax:
  one of the three main body segments in an insect, located between the head and abdomen, where the wings and legs of the insect attach
  .
• Sponge-like mouthparts present. Some adult species have functionless (vestigial) mouthparts and live only long enough to mate.
• Antennae are either pouch-like with a laterallateral:
  with an orientation pertaining to the side
  bristle (aristate) or bead-like (moniliform).
• Large compound eyes present.
• Green to reddish-purple eye color.
• Membranous membranous:
  with the same character as a membrane, typically used to refer to structures like wings that are clear and translucent like a membrane
  pair of forewings either translucent or distinctly patterned with a marbled or spotted appearance.
• Hindwings are modified to knob-like structures (halteres).
• The 'feet' or tarsi are 5-segmented.
• Several species have a long, tubular ovipositorovipositor:
  a tubular structure extending from the abdomen of female insects that is used to lay eggs
  sheath present.

Pupae

• Smallest size - 0.85 mm (0.33 in.).
• Largest size - 4.9 mm (0.19 in.).
• Elongate and oval or cylindrical.
• Light yellow to dark reddish brown. Pupae darken prior to emergenceemergence:
  used to describe the completion pupation that culminates in the appearance of the adult form of an insect
  .
• Hard, all-encompassing protective cover (puparium) present.
• Commonly found within soil.

Larvae

• Smallest size - 1.9 mm (0.071 in.).
• Largest size - 13 mm (0.51 in.).
• Typically 3 larval instars.
• Several species are initially creamy-white, but assume the color of the food ingested. Some species appear transparent and turn light yellow-orange prior to pupation.
• Most species are cylindrical and elongated. Some species have a narrowed, recurved anterioranterior:
  situated near the front of the body; nearer to the head
  end.
• Anterior anterior:
  situated near the front of the body; nearer to the head
  mouth hooks present.
• Lacking a well-developed headhead:
  one of the three main body segments in insects; the anterior-most segment containing the many sensory structures including the eyes, antennae, and mouthparts
  capsule.

Eggs

• Smallest size - 0.27 mm (0.011 in.).
• Largest size - 1 mm (0.04 in.).
• Smooth and white or translucent in color.
• Eggs are hidden within the fruit peel, stamens, or style.
• Egg shape ranges between cylindrical and tapered or elongate and elliptical.

Hosts

Citrus hosts

Dipterans have several citrus species listed as ideal host plants which include grapefruit, mandarin, lemon, lime, and orange. See individual fact sheets for more detailed information.

Non-citrus hosts

Dipterans have a broad host planthost plant:
the plant the provides sustenance for an insect
range that include vegetables, field, and flower crops. See individual fact sheets for more detailed information.

Host damage

Flowers

Larvae feed on the stems, buds, flower ovary, stamens, or petals which can lead to ovary destruction, premature flower drop, or necroticnecrotic:
the damage caused by cell death (necrosis) in plants or other organisms, often a result of insect feeding on plants, and displayed as brown or black coloration of tissues
patching.

Fruit

Gravid gravid:
female that is bearing eggs
females deposit eggs within the fruit epidermis. Emerging larvae create feeding tunnels within the pulppulp:
the soft, moist, internal part of the citrus fruit, beneath the rind and albedo layers
. Larvae also create holes when exiting the fruit to pupate. Damaged fruit appear water soaked or distorted and are susceptible to secondary infection.

Roots

Larvae infest and feed on young seedlings and tap roots.

Biology

Females lay several eggs at a time and deposit them on various host planthost plant:
the plant the provides sustenance for an insect
parts including the fruit skin, stamen, or style. Eggs hatch within two weeks in warm weather. Larvae can feed extensively within the flower or develop feeding tunnels within the pulppulp:
the soft, moist, internal part of the citrus fruit, beneath the rind and albedo layers
for more than a month. After three instars, larvae chew exit holes and drop to the ground to pupate. Adults emerge from the soil and can live for more than a year in ideal conditions. Some adult species only survive long enough to mate. Several generations can occur per year.

References

Belkin, J. 1976. Fundamentals of Entomology: A manual for introductory courses. American Biological Supply Company. Baltimore, Maryland.

Carroll, L.E., I.M. White, A. Freidberg, A.L. Norrbom, M.J. Dallwitz, and F.C. Thompson. 2010. Anastrepha ludens (Loew) In Pest fruit flies of the world. United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service. (http://delta-intkey.com/ffa/www/ana_lude.htm).

Davies, F., and L. Jackson. 2009. Pest disease and weed management for the bearing grove, pp. 204-221. In Citrus growing in Florida. 5th ed. University of Florida Press. Gainesville, Florida.

Eaton, E. and K. Kaufman. 2007. True flies, pp. 272. In Field guide to insects of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, New York.

Steck, G.J. 1998. Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Plant Industry. Entomology Circular 391. (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/ento/entcirc/ent391.pdf).

Thomas, M.C., J.B. Heppner, R.E. Woodruff, H.V. Weems, and G.J. Steck. 2010. Featured Creatures: Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae). University of Florida . Publication EENY-214. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/mediterranean_fruit_fly.htm).

Triplehorn, C. and N. Johnson. 2004. Diptera. Pp. 672-680 In Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the study of insects. 7th ed. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Belmonte, California.

Weems, H.V. 1962. Mediterranean fruit fly. Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Plant Industry. Entomology Circular 4. (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/ento/entcirc/ent004.pdf).

Weems, H.V. 1981. Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Plant Industry. Entomology Circular 230. (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/ento/entcirc/ent230.pdf).

Weems, H.V., J.B. Heppner, G.J. Steck, T.R. Fasulo, and J.L. Nation. 2004. Featured Creatures: Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae). University of Florida. Publication EENY-201. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/tropical/mexican_fruit_fly.htm).

Weems, H.V., J.B. Heppner, T.R. Fasulo, and J.L. Nation. 2001. Featured Creatures: Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae). University of Florida - Department of Entomology and Nematology. Extension Publication EENY-196. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/tropical/caribbean_fruit_fly.htm).

Authors

Guerrero, S., J.A. Weeks, and A.C. Hodges