The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-06

Key West in November, 1880, by
inspectors of the U. S. department
Iof agriculture. In 1880 TIVE
properties were found infested
In 1881 only one property was
found infested by inspectors Of
the state plant board of Florida
/, In 1882 heavy infestation develop.
ed in hog plums on so properties
and sguayes and Barbados cherries
were also found infested. Tht
fact. that the infestation was light
during the first two years indi.
Gates that the West Indian fruit
fly was of recent Introduction to
Key West.
Frequent inspections of the
keys and mainland of Dade Coun.
ty have failed to disclose the pres
lenee Of the West Indian fruit fly
in sections other than Key West
To prevent the possible spread Of
the insect to other localities, the
state plant board passed in Jan
nary, 1882, a quarantine regula,
ton which prohibited the move.
ment of host fruits from the is
land of Key West.
To obtain information on The
habits and hosts of the fly under
conditions of Key West a labora
tory was established there by the
state plant board in September
1882. In November, 1892, and al
the request Of the state plant
board, the bureau of Entomology
U. s. department of agriculture
sent the writer to Key West t.
cooperate with the agents of the
plant board and to make a thor
ough investigation of the fruit fly
and test methods of control. Al
the outset, it was planned to era.
dictate the insect from the island
of Key West and these studio!
were undertaken with the view to
furnishing needed information tt
assist in the eradication cam
paign.
The West Indian fruit fly is Q
member of the family Trypetidae
Two closely allied species, Anas'
trepha acidusa and Anastrephs
suspense, which have long beer
known under one common name
occur at Key West. The life
cycles, habits and general char,
acteristics of these two forms are
very similar. The species, A.
acidusa, is more prevalent at Key
West, and its life history will be
reviewed here.
Four Stages OF Life
The West Indian fruit fly, like
al other members Of the order
Diptera, has four stages in its life
cycle. These stages are: The egg,
the larvel or maggot, the pupal
and the adult. The eggs are plac-
ed inside of mature and ripening
fruits by the female flies. This
is done by means of a needle-like
structure. called the ovipositor, in
serted through the skin of the
fruit and into the pulp where the
eggs are placed. The eggs hatch
into small worms or fnaggots more
properly known as larvae. The
larvae live by eating the surround
ing fruit tissue, and when mature
leave the fruit to enter the sur
face layer Of the soil. The mature
larvae, after entering the soil
form the pupal or resting stage
After . short period In the ground
the adult flies emerge from ths
puparia. After q preovipositioT
period of about eight days, thu
flies reach. sexual maturity AM
tie cycle Is begun a8aiik
/ Under the present eonditiQnh 81
kShinerature 1T Key west, the ees
stage, Naries from three to sever
days, the larval or maggot stage
varies from eight to- fSA.dags and
the pnpaI stage passed in the sol
varies from nine to 10 days. In
Guiding the preoviposition periot
Of about eight days, a complet.
cycle from egg to egg may develop
IN about % days. One female n,
il capable Of producing severa
hundred eggs. The flies hav,
been kept alive in captivity for /
period Of i69 days. This illus
trates how rapidly large popula
ton Of flies may develop with ths
right conditions Of fruit.
Flies IN captivity in the labora
tory at Key West have successful
" attacked IS different fruits
The most important Of these from
the viewpoint Of Key West citi
Eens are the following: Hog plum
guaya. Barbados cherry. Surfnan
cherry, papaya. sugar apple. ia
naica apple. soursop. sapodiIIa
Ts-Es. fig, grapes, nangos toma
20. kumquat and grapefruit; lines
beth Spanish lines and the key
lines have been free Of attack
Oranges and tangerines have alss
been free Of attack by flies II
captivity.
Several Species
The West Indian fruit fly, how
ever. should not be confused with
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