8 THE MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT-FLY. 



is located, for at least two years and probably longer. It is now firmly estab- 

 lished in practically all sections of this island and it has also been taken on the 

 adjacent island of Kanai, known as the Garden Island. I did not find it on 

 the Island of Maui, but, owing to the limited time assigned to my investiga- 

 tion, to cover the entire territory was impossible; moreover, the realization came 

 to me that our real problem was the Island of Oahu. * * * 



The fly has spread from the lower cultivated areas and is now infesting the 

 wild guavas on the sides of the mountain, in the gulches, on the plains, and in 

 the cultivated portions of the valleys. In addition to the wild guavas, which are 

 almost continually in fruit, many other wild fruits that are hosts grow in 

 abundance; also, large patches of the prickly-pear cactus are to be found all 

 over the mountains. In other countries this fruit carries the flies over winter, 

 and will undoubtedly prove a host fruit in tlie al>sence of other hosts. 



The worst infested portion of the Island of Oahu is the resident section of 

 the city of Honolulu, and it is from this plague spot that California would be 

 most likely to become infested. This is the section visited l)y all tourists 

 stopping at Honolulu, and it is from this district that they procure the tropical 

 fruit which finds its way to the port of San Francisco. 



The very dangerous character of the pest led Congress to make an 

 emergency appropriation for an investigation of the insect in the 

 United States, its territories and possessions, and this work will be 

 promptly taken up by the Bureau of Entomology.^ 



The published records indicate that the Mediterranean fruit-fly is 

 widely distributed in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. 

 It is recorded from the following countries : 



Algeria, Asiatic Turkey, the Azores, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Sao 

 Paulo). Bermuda, Cape Yerde Islands, East Indies, Egypt (Cairo, 

 Kafrez-Zaiyat). France, Madeira Islands. Malta, ^Mauritius, Xatal, 

 New South Wales. Xew Zealand, Queensland, St. Helena Island, 

 Sicily, Spain (Malaga. Valencia, Barcelona), South Africa, Tas- 

 mania, Transvaal. Uganda. Victoria, and We^t Australia. 



Considering the insect in connection with its known distribution 

 and destructiveness. it appears fairly certain that it would not be 

 able to maintain itself in regions where the temperature during 

 Avinter falls much below the freezing point. The failure of the in- 

 sect to extend its range northward from the Mediterranean region 

 seems to warrant this conclusion. There is. however, much territory 

 in the United States where the pest would doubtless thrive, as in our 

 more southern States and in California. 



FOOD PLANTS AND DESTRUCTIVENESS. 



The very destructive character of the Mediterranean fruit-fly has 

 been evident since the insect first came prominently into notice in 

 1829. Its injuries to citrus fruits, especially the orange, were early 

 complained of, and as the insect has spread the list of fruits attacked 



1 .Vujrnst 20. 1012, an act was passed by Conan-ess and approved by the President which 

 enables the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and maintain quarantine against dan.cer- 

 ously Injurious insect pests and plant diseases. The necessary steps are being taken for 

 the purpose of promulgating a quarantine to prevent the introduction of the Mediter- 

 ranean fruit-fly. 



