430 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



a house-fly, a pale yellowish or yellowish-brown color, with dark 

 bands across the wings, and a tapering abdomen, as shown in 

 Fig. 361. 



Life History. The flies appear in late spring and the females 

 deposit their eggs in the older berries. A female will lay about 

 200 eggs during the period of a month, placing but one in a berry, 

 so that a single fly may do considerable damage. The white egg 

 is about one-twentj'-fifth inch long and laid just under the skin, 

 where it is easily seen. The egg hatches in a few days into a 



FIG. 361. The currant-fly (Epochra canadensis Loew.) much enlarged; 



(After Gillette.) 



small white maggot, which burrows around the berry and then 

 feeds upon the seeds. The location of the larva may be seen, as 

 the infested currant soon shows a clouded appearance and finally 

 turns red and a black spot appears. The maggot becomes full 

 grown in about three weeks and then eats its way out of the berry, 

 which has usually fallen to the ground. The mature maggot 

 enters the soil for about an inch and there changes to the pupa, 

 from which the fly emerges the next spring. 



Control. As the maggots usually remain in the berries a few 

 days after they drop, all fallen berries should be frequently 



