16 



BULLETIN 643, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Yet, when cut open, it was found that its center had been eaten away 

 entirely and the well-grown larvae had made tunnels, shown some- 

 what reduced, throughout the rind. 



Xumerous similar examples of destruction might be described. 

 But it is important to remember the fact that melon-fly attack upon 

 the older fruits is far more likely, except in the case of the canta- 

 loupe, cucumber, and tomato, to result in larval development in open 



surface wounds and 

 in deformities. 



One of the squashes 

 of figure 21, the cu- 

 cumbers of figure 18, 

 and the watermelon 

 of figure 20 illustrate 

 types of deformities 

 very common in Ha- 

 waii. Wherever the 

 fruits have been only 

 slightly damaged by 

 melon-fly attack, de- 

 formities result, It 

 is seldom that a per- 

 fectly formed cucur- 

 bit is seen in the 

 markets of Honolulu 

 unless the fruit was 

 grown under protec- 

 tive coverings. Al- 

 though deformities 

 do not completely 

 ruin the fruit, they 

 restrict development 

 and prevent the fruit 

 from reaching its 

 normal size, as illustrated by the unaffected squash and the badly 

 deformed squash of figure 21 (p. 22). Cucumbers and watermelons 

 so badly deformed as those shown in figures 18 and 20 are not salable, 

 even though they contain no larvae. The purchaser of fruit has 

 learned from experience that deformed cucumbers must be viewed 

 with suspicion, for, although they may be fit for the table, they may 



Fig. 15. — Section of watermelon vine, showing two fruits 

 so devoured by larvae of the melon fly that they have 

 become mummified during dry weather following attack. 

 Xote that the remains of the blossom still persist. 

 (Authors' illustration.) 



contain maggots. 



FOOD OR HOST PLANTS. 



The food or host plants of the melon fly may be divided into those 

 preferred and those occasionally infested and may be listed as 

 follows : 



