blueberry maggot
(Rhagoletis mendax)
This species is Introduced in the United States
Origin
Native to North America.
Life Cycle
Species overwinter in the soil near host plants as a pupa. In the spring adults emerge and feed for several weeks on flowers prior to mating. After mating females lay a single egg on a fruit. Maggot hatches and feeds on the fleshy part of the fruit, often consuming the entire fruit. Maggots are creamy white, legless, about 5 mm in length. Mature maggots will drop to the soil and pupate. Most overwinter a single year, but they may remain dormant for up to five. Adult flies are 3-4 mm, mostly back with a white spot at the posterior tip of the thorax and white stripes along each side. Wings are banded with tan to black stripes.
Hosts include Vaccinium species, including blueberry and huckleberry. Evidence of damage is consumption of fruit by maggot.
Distribution
Found in Eastern North America. Not known to occur in Alaska.
Control Efforts
Chemical control efforts often involve the use of pesticides with a very short residual time. Cultural efforts, such as removing infected fruit, and winter till may also reduce the size of the population.
Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhagoletis_mendax
Image Resource
https://www.insectimages.org/search/action.cfm?q=rhagoletis+mendax
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Diptera
Family
Tephritidae
Genus
Rhagoletis
Species
mendax Curran, 1932
Native to North America.
Life Cycle
Species overwinter in the soil near host plants as a pupa. In the spring adults emerge and feed for several weeks on flowers prior to mating. After mating females lay a single egg on a fruit. Maggot hatches and feeds on the fleshy part of the fruit, often consuming the entire fruit. Maggots are creamy white, legless, about 5 mm in length. Mature maggots will drop to the soil and pupate. Most overwinter a single year, but they may remain dormant for up to five. Adult flies are 3-4 mm, mostly back with a white spot at the posterior tip of the thorax and white stripes along each side. Wings are banded with tan to black stripes.
Hosts include Vaccinium species, including blueberry and huckleberry. Evidence of damage is consumption of fruit by maggot.
Distribution
Found in Eastern North America. Not known to occur in Alaska.
Control Efforts
Chemical control efforts often involve the use of pesticides with a very short residual time. Cultural efforts, such as removing infected fruit, and winter till may also reduce the size of the population.
Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhagoletis_mendax
Image Resource
https://www.insectimages.org/search/action.cfm?q=rhagoletis+mendax
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Diptera
Family
Tephritidae
Genus
Rhagoletis
Species
mendax Curran, 1932
Selected Images
Invasive Listing Sources
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: Hexapoda |
| Class: Insecta |
| Subclass: Pterygota |
| Infraclass: Neoptera |
| Superorder: Holometabola |
| Order: Diptera |
| Suborder: Brachycera |
| Infraorder: Muscomorpha |
| Section: Schizophora |
| Subsection: Acalyptratae |
| Superfamily: Tephritoidea |
| Family: Tephritidae |
| Subfamily: Trypetinae |
| Tribe: Carpomyini |
| Subtribe: Carpomyina |
| Genus: Rhagoletis |
| Rhagoletis mendax |
References
Common Name Reference: Bosik, J. J. Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms 1997. Lanham, MD: Entomological Society of America (ESA), 1997. 232 pp.
Scientific Name Reference: R.W. Poole and P. Gentili, Nomina Insecta Nearctica. 1996. Nomina insecta nearctica: a checklist of the insects of North America. Vol. 1-4. Rockville (MD): Entomological Information Services. Available at URL: http://www.nearctica.com/nomina/main.htm