Citrus Fruit Fly ( Bactrocera minax Enderlein) Bactrocera minax Enderlein is a tephritid citrus pest. It is locally known as fruit fly or citrus fly (Refer to Fig 1). Female files have long and exposed ovipositor. It is brownish in colour with yellow spots. It is wasp-like with dark bands along the outline of the wings. Maggots have creamy white appearance with black mouth parts. Matured maggots are 12 mm- 15 mm long and yellow puparia are 8– 11 mm long. Citrus fruit fly oviposits in citrus fruits causing premature fruit drop. In Bhutan, the fly causes 30-80% fruit drop in middle-altitude mandarin ( Citrus reticulata Blanco) orchards. There is emergence of files from puparia in the soil around April. As soon as fruits reach 11 mm diameter, flies colonize citrus fruits extensively. From mid-June onwards, some brownish, round spots of 1- 2 mm appear. Eggs hatch within the citrus fruits from September and prematurely ripen. They drop in October (Refer to...
Pest Surveillance in PeLden's Garden