268 HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



ends of sound oranges, where infection might take 

 place. 



Methods of control. — It has been our experience that 

 ordinary wire screen, say 12 or 14 meshes to the inch, 

 does not prevent these flies from entering a house. Pos- 

 sibly wire screen with 16 meshes to the inch might keep 

 them out. We doubt the practicability of effectually 

 screening these flies from houses on account of their small 

 size. 



It is evident from their habits of entering crevices and 

 cracks of fruit jars that, in order to exclude them, the jars 

 must be hermetically sealed, or practically so. All fruit 

 that is canned while hot and then hermetically sealed 

 with rubber bands or otherwise will be safe from the attacks 

 of these flies. Pickled fruits in stone jars with loose tops 

 are subject to attack by these flies. 



Jars of fruit that are opened now and then and left 

 loosely covered must be placed inside of some tight 

 receptacle for protection where these fruit flies are present. 

 In case the maggots have gained access to a jar of fruit 

 it is not necessary to throw away the whole jar since 

 the larvae occur only among the top layers. The infested 

 portions may be thrown away when the remainder will 

 be found free from the maggots and usually in perfectly 

 good condition. Fruit, if left standing in the pantry, 

 kitchen, or on the sideboard, must be kept free from 

 all decayed specimens or must be tightly covered 

 from the flies. It is not so much the destructiveness 

 of the flies that we desire to avoid in these cases as it 

 is the annoying presence of them in our pantries and 

 dining rooms. They are always suggestive of overripe 

 and decaying fruit. 



