( 493 ) 



A. SOME INSECTS WHICH MIGHT BECOME PESTS IN THIS 

 COUNTRY OWING TO IMPORTATION. 



THE JAPANESE FRUIT SCALE (Diaspis pentagona. Targ.-Tozz.). 

 THE SAN JOSE SCALE (Aspidiotus pcrniciosus. Corns.). 

 THE MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY (Ceratitis capitata. Wied.). 

 CHERRY FRUIT FLY (RJiagoletis cerasi. Linn.). 



These have been already recorded in this country ; the second I found 

 on some American pears in a London shop, and the third and fourth are 

 given by Mr. George Verrall in his list of British Diptera. The Japanese 

 Fruit Scale has been found by Mr. Newstead. 



THE MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY. 



(Ceratitis capitata. Wied.) 



This fruit fly is recorded by Verrall in his list of British Diptera. 

 It must, however, be very rare, and its record probably is in connection 

 with imported fruit, for at one time im- 

 ported oranges could frequently be found 

 with these maggots in them. It is a 

 widely distributed insect, being common in 

 Southern Europe, Malta, the Azores, the 

 Canary Isles, Bermuda, Australia, Natal, 

 the Cape, China, Brazil, etc. Its larvae 

 feed in peaches, nectarines, apricots, 

 oranges, citrons, loquats, guavas, prickly 

 pears, etc. In parts of Spain the cultiva- 

 tion of peach, apricot and nectarine was 

 abandoned on account of its ravages. 



The fly (Fig. 317) is very marked in orna- 

 mentation, especially the wings. In length 

 it is little more than J to i inch, with wing 

 expanse of over ^- inch ; the thorax is black, 

 marked with grey-brown ; the short, broad abdomen orange-yellow, the 

 first two segments with deep apical bands of silvery-grey ; the wings have 

 black lines and spots at the base, with dark bars, as shown in the figure. 



[//. Knight. 



FIG. 317. MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY 



(Ceratitis capitata). 



