A yellow stripe, with curved lines on either side, is present down the center of the back. The tip of the body furthermost from the head is yellow. Wings are patterned with a thick brown band extending along the leading edge, ending in a larger brown spot at the tip. Another thin band extends from the wing base just inside the trailing edge of each wing. A brown spot occurs near the wing margin.
Abdomens are reddish yellow with darker bands on the second and third abdominal segments.
Legs are yellowish. They have a similar appearance to the oriental fruit fly except for the patterned wing. Oviposition occurs about 10 days after emergence and continues at intervals. One female may deposit up to 1,000 eggs, although 300 eggs total are estimated in natural conditions. Females prefer to oviposit in new plant growth such as young seedlings, growing tips, and developing ovaries of all cucurbits except young cucumbers.