Tangerine Trees & Fruit Flies

Life Cycle

• Fruit flies are commonly found infesting both homegrown and commercial fruit, including oranges, tangerines, tomatoes, guavas and many other important crops. Common among all species is a life cycle wherein the flies burrow into the flesh of a fruit to lay eggs. The eggs hatch into maggots that feed on the inside of the fruit, reducing it to mush. The adult flies emerge and reproduce rapidly.

Varieties

• Three genus groups incorporate fruit fly species that threaten the United States, including Anastrepha, Bactrocera, and Ceratitis. Though not present in consistent populations in the United States, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is known to appear in California Texas and Hawaii. The guava fruit fly, (Bactrocera correcta) was found in a tangerine tree in Florida in the summer of 2011, resulting in a major control effort across the state to stop any possible spread.

Eradication Efforts

• Fruit flies, particularly the Mediterranean fruit fly, are considered some of the most destructive agriculture pests in the world and are a serious problem in Europe. Eradication efforts to prevent infestation in the United States have been severe. Nonetheless, this fly, which is slightly smaller than a house fly, is still often seen in fruit. Control efforts often involve the use of sticky traps. In Florida, traps are positioned to detect Mediterranean fruit flies; when detected, many more baited traps are placed to prevent infestation and achieve eradication. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also use methods such as spraying Spinosad insecticide, removing all fruit from infested trees, and releasing sterile flies to stop infestations before they start.

Home Control

• Home growers of tangerines can avert fruit fly infestation by picking fruit early and eliminating overripe or rotting fruit. Tangerines should be removed from trees regularly to prevent them from becoming infested. When infested fruit is sealed in a container or buried deep in the ground, the pests will not spread. Methods for control include commercial traps, such as sticky paper and bait systems, that capture the flies and keep them from reproducing. Insecticides, labeled for use on fruit flies, can control the pests if applied to fruit trees and nearby plants.