104 THE BANANA 



coloration. The maggots burrow into the pulp, which 

 becomes soft and brown and soon decays. When the 

 larva is only a few days old it passes out of the fruit and 

 drops on the soil, which it enters to pupate. In due course 

 the pupa gives rise to the fly, which is generally brown 

 coloured with conspicuous pale yellow glossy blotches on 

 the mid-body, the clear wings having two smoke-coloured 

 bands one all along their fore-borders, the other extending 

 slantingly across them. 



Mr. Tryon's recommendations for the prevention of the 

 Fruit Fly are as follows : 



(1) The destruction of breeding- grounds adjoining 

 banana plantations. Mangoes, oranges, loquats, peaches, 

 guavas, &c., that are found to be infected should be 

 gathered and destroyed ; if such fruit trees are practically 

 wild, and not a source of income, they should be extirpated 

 as sources of danger. 



(2) Formerly the southern States or Victoria at least 

 required planters to protect the fruit destined for their 

 markets from fly attack by covering it with Hessian or 

 stocking net, and a special tubular net was manufactured 

 for the purpose. The use of the net is not now compulsory, 

 but it is certainly effective if applied at the time the fruit 

 is two-thirds grown. The natives of Papua wrap their 

 banana bunches with " tapa " or other suitable material 

 to prevent the attacks of injurious animals. 



(8) Avoid leaving damaged or defective fruit on the 

 plantation, as it may serve as breeding-ground for the 

 fly. 



(4) Learn to recognize the " fingers " that have been 

 " stung," and detach and destroy them. This procedure 

 is an object of careful provision on the part of inspectors 

 under the Diseases in Plants Act of Queensland. 



FRUIT FLY (Dacus curvipennis) 



Mr. W. W. Froggat, Government Entomologist, New 

 South Wales, has bred out this fruit fly from banana, 



