If you have a plot with fruit trees and do not know, you probably do not know how to identify it and scare the presence of any insect known to appear for their land. Want to know if your property is infested with fruit fly and what to do in these cases. Lest you are not sure, we have researched for you. His presence in our country is a serious threat, mainly for fruit exporters. The entry of our products to the world market is very difficult, because the disease control measures that take effect automatically, by declaring a focus infested with fruit flies or Ceratis capitata. Still others close their borders at the slightest suspicion.
The immediate reaction of the authorities, who ordered the spraying in the south of Santiago, without warning, sparked a series of protests from those concerned about environmental problems. They do not support the application of substances that could be harmful to humans.
An insect that leaves traces in the garden
The bug causing controversy, known as the Blue Mosque, the fruit or the Mediterranean, belongs to the order Diptera, ie has only one pair of wings, and the family Tephritidae.
It is an insect smaller than the common housefly, because it can measure 4 to 5.5 mm long, in the period of adulthood. Its head is yellowish like legs and thorax, which has brilliant black spots. Their wings are semi-transparent, each of which has a design with brown stripes, elongated and transverse. His abdomen is rounded, with alternating bands from yellow to gray, totally covered with small black bristles. One of their names, the blue fly, is due to the color of his eyes, always blue, while the insect is alive. Recognized when dead because they change to dark purple.
Females bore fruit “host” to lay their eggs. The small “bite” that leaves the female is surrounded by a halo that softens. In a short time after the bite occurs fruit spoilage, making it easily identifiable.
Several species that serve as hosts for this fly, but prefer the guava, fig, quince, pear, custard apple, apricot, apple, mango, tomato and most citrus.
The life cycle of the fruit fly
The development of its life cycle, from egg to sexually mature adult, is affected by the weather. The duration of their periods and development depend on the temperature where you are and the chosen host species. If the temperature is 19 to 28 degrees Celsius, it takes about 6-11 days in the larval stage and between 9 and 60 days as a pupa. If the temperature is lower, their development may be interrupted.
The female lays eggs through her ovipositor, a conduit that allows them to penetrate the skin of the fruit is barely noticeable. At this early stage of life, the larvae feed on the pulp. Once the larval process, leaving the fruit of a jump. Once ashore, about three inches from the surface-form their pupa, a kind of barrel caféamarillento, within which are to complete their growth. Emerging from the pupa in the adult, able to reproduce in the 7-9 days following.
The adult female mates during two days and ovipone in the fruit during the following three or four, two to 10 eggs each time. Throughout his life can put between 300 and 400 eggs. The male contribution to fertilize all together happens once in the life of the female.
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