The insect was introduced into Florida in 1905, most likely from the West Indies on papaya shipments. It first became established in the Florida Keys and Miami, then spread throughout the state wherever papayas are grown.
Papaya fruit fly larvae and adults have been found in Florida in every month of the year.
Although originally considered to be monophagous, infesting only wild and cultivated papaya, the insect has also been reported on mango and milkweed in Florida, and other plant species in Mexico. Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker has also been known as Mikimyia furcifera Bigot. The papaya fruit fly is distributed throughout the Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Cuba and the Bahamas. In the United States, the fly is found in southern Texas and 16 counties in Florida including Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Dade, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas, St. Lucie, Sarasota, and Volusia. Commonly mistaken for a vespid wasp due to its size, form, coloration, and behavior, the papaya fruit fly is predominantly yellow marked with black.