274 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. Ill, No. 3 



Table V. — Daily rate of oviposilion of melon flies that emerged on February ly and 

 ■were placed separately witb fruit on May 32, 1974— Continued 



While the individuals whose rate of oviposition is recorded in Table 

 V were not given an opportunity to oviposit during the first three months, 

 it will be noted that they oviposited quite as freely at the end of the 

 sixth month as did the youngest females. There is no reason to believe 

 that the first group of melon flies (Table IV) will not continue to oviposit, 

 since the second group (Table V), even before they had an opportunity 

 to oviposit in fruit, oviposited on the sides of the jar containing them. 

 It will be noted that the female melon fly oviposits very irregularly. 

 She is inclined to deposit a large number of eggs at greater intervals, 

 whereas the female of the Mediterranean fruit fly deposits a smaller 

 number nearly every day. Thirty-six eggs is the largest number ever 

 secured from one melon fly in one day. The greatest daily average 

 thus far recorded is that of fly No. i of Table IV, which laid a total of 

 155 eggs during the first 46 days after she commenced ovipositing, an 

 average of 3.4 eggs per day. 



