地中海果蝇呈黄褐色,主食水果、坚果与蔬菜。成虫靠吸食植物汁液为生,而最具破坏性的是其幼虫。雌性成年果蝇在水果和蔬菜表皮钻洞,并产下1至6只卵,等卵孵化后,其幼虫靠吃果肉迅速成长。不久,被其摧残的果实跌落地面,幼虫就挖地洞并在那里度过它们的成长期。果蝇的生命周期为15到40天。地中海果蝇主食200多种植物,尤其喜欢柑橘类水果(citrus fruit)。1929年,当这种昆虫在美国的弗罗里达洲(Florida)出现时,控制灾情惟一的方法就是摧毁受灾区所有的水果。这是历史上第一次完全成功地根除果蝇。后来有效的防治方法有喷洒杀虫剂,通过辐射使雄性果蝇绝育,使用有毒诱饵等。地中海果蝇的拉丁学名为Ceratitis capitata,归属于双翅目(Diptera)的果蝇科(Tephritidae)。
The Mediterranean fruit fly is slightly smaller than a housefly with an average length of 3.5-5.0 mm. The adult has a predominantly dark body with two white bands on the yellowish abdomen. The wings have brown, yellow, black, and white markings. The female has a pointed, slender ovipositor to deposit eggs beneath the skin of the host fruit. The larvae is a legless maggot, creamy white in color, and may grow to a length of 0.4 inches within the host fruit.
标签:果蝇,地中海