COne pheromone lure of Bactrocera cucurbitae

Identification-

Egg: The egg is pure white, about 2 mm long, elliptical, nearly flat on the ventral surface, and more convex on the dorsal. Eggs often are somewhat curved.

Larva:

The larva has three instars. The larva is white, except when its appearance is altered by the color of the food within the alimentary canal.

The larva has a typical fruit fly larval shape - cylindrical-maggot shape, elongate, anterior end narrowed and somewhat curved ventrally, with anterior mouth hooks, ventral fusiform areas, and flattened caudal end.

The last instar larva ranges from 7.5 to 11.8 mm in length. The larva of the melon fly is particularly distinctive in having a dark sclerotized horizontal line below the spiracular region on the caudal end, with a curved ridge on each side of it.

Adult:

The adult melon fly is 6 to 8 mm in length. Distinctive characteristics include its wing pattern, its long third antennal segment, the reddish yellow dorsum of the thorax with light yellow markings, and the yellowish head with black spots.

Life Cycle-

Development from egg to adult under summer conditions requires from 12 to 28 days, according to the individual and host and weather conditions. The developmental periods may be extended considerably by cool weather.

The preoviposition period lasted 7 to 26 days and the oviposition period 39 to 95 days. A single hardy female may lay as many as 1,000 eggs. Eggs generally are laid in young fruit, although they are laid also in succulent stems of many host plants, in cavities made with the aid of a sharp ovipositor. Only the ripe fruit of some hosts is attacked.

Pupation normally occurs in the soil, usually beneath the host, at a depth of up to 2 inches. Adults may live more than a year. Adults feed primarily upon juices of host plants, nectar, and honeydew secreted by various kinds of insects. There may be as many as eight to 10 generations a year.

Nature of Damage-

Larval feeding damage in fruits is the most damaging. Mature attacked fruits develop a water-soaked appearance.

Young fruits become distorted and usually drop. The larval tunnels provide entry points for bacteria and fungi that cause the fruit to rot. These maggots also attack young seedlings, succulent tap roots of watermelon, and stems and buds of host plants such as cucumber, squash, and others.

The economic importance of the melon fly cannot be evaluated entirely from the standpoint of the direct damage to the various crops affected. Quarantine laws aimed at preventing the entry and establishment of melon fly in areas where it does not occur often reduce the export potential of locally grown crops.

Target Plants-

Watermelon, Muskmelon, Pumpkin, Bottle Gourd, Cucumber, Ridged Gourd, Bitter Gourd (Karle), Tinda, Parwal, etc.

Usage Instruction-

Cut open this pack and slide the lure piece outside.

Do not touch the lure with bare hands.

Fix this lure properly in a trap by sliding it in the hole provided in the fruit fly trap.

Replace the lure at the recommended duration.

Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling the trap and lure.

Discard used lure by burning or burying underground.

Trap to be used: Macphill trap

Number of traps per Acre: 8-10Life of Lure: 60 Days