MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY (CERATITIS CAPITATA WIEDEMANN) IN CALIFORNIA – ERADICATION OR DISASTER

Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann, commonly called the Medfly, has spread over most of the world’s tropical and sub-tropical fruit-growing regions.
Medfly has also survived in many temperate or colder microclimate situations.
When researching reports from infestations world-wide, there is substantial information to show that this insect will survive winters in West Germany, Switzerland, Paris, and the general Mediterranean area.
In fact, this insect could probably survive in all agricultural areas in California and most western states.

Fruit infested by Medfly becomes inedible and spoiled beyond salvage from introduced bacteria during fly egg-laying and subsequent decay from mold and fungi.

There is no pupal diapause; all Medfly adults emerge in one year, thus making eradication less difficult.
As shown on numerous occasions world-wide, the best and least expensive method for eradication of Medfly is aerial application of bait pesticide sprays followed by massive sterile fly releases at a ratio of one native Medfly to 100 sterile flies.
The alternatives to eradication (partial control) result in increased use of pesticides, increased environmental hazards, less effective IPM programs, and increased cost to the agriculture industry and to the consumer.

III International Symposium on Pear Growing

J. L. Joos

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1982.124.12