36 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



habits in our Victorian orchards it would appear that the 

 fly does not favour long distance journeys, although, as 

 with other kinds of short flight insects, it would be 

 possible for this pest to fly or be even blown across the 

 Murray. This is, of course, a mere surmise ; but the fact 

 of the grubby fruit being even obtainable in Melbourne 

 and elsewhere, goes to prove how necessary are the 

 extra precautions now being taken by the Department. 

 As one who has seen the fly at work both in New South 

 Wales and Queensland, I assert that the ravages of the 

 Mediterranean fly in Victoria are quite as bad as either 

 the Queensland or New South Wales experiences have 

 been able to record, half -green peaches being attacked 

 as badly as those either ripening or ripe. The perfect 

 Queensland fly has not, so far as we are aware, made its 

 appearance amongst us, and we sincerely trust it may 

 not do so. 



Referring to the life history of the Mediterranean fly 

 as observed in Victoria, the female insect punctures the 

 skin of the fruit when the latter is in the condition of 

 being half -grown, hard and green to that of ripe or 

 ripening fruit, and, by means of ovipositor, places from 

 five to fifteen eggs in each fruit. These hatch out in a 

 few days, the maggots remaining in the fruit for about 

 fourteen days. The fruit then drops to the ground, and 

 the maggot or grub enters the earth to the depth of a 

 few inches, and there assumes a chrysalis form, from 

 which the fly emerges in from 14 to 20 days, according 

 to the climatic condition. In a climate like Victoria, 

 it is thought possible, taking the succession of fruits 

 into consideration, that we may have a fresh brood for 

 nearly seven months in the year. It has been ques- 

 tioned by some persons whether this fly is found in 

 Queensland at all, but the fact of it having been reared by 

 us from bananas and oranges from Maryborough places 

 the matter beyond the shadow of a doubt. If such be not 

 the case, then the fruit must have been affected during 

 transit, a theory which I, for one, will not entertain. 



