CITRUS FRUIT INSECTS IN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES. 27 



son in October and November, and again during the final shipments, 

 the last of June and first of July. The reason more infested oranges 

 do not occur in Spain is not, as has been suggested, because the fruit 

 is picked too green, but because practically all the fruit matures and 

 is harvested at a season when the fly is not active or breeding. This 

 applies to practically all semitropical countries where citrus fruits 

 are grown commercially. Plenty of oranges were seen in Spain that 

 were fully mature in March, but which were not harvested until 

 May or June. The heavy shipments do not begin in Spain until 

 November, and by May the season is virtually ended. 



What has been said regarding oranges in Spain applies to all the 

 Mediterranean citrus sections. Up to the middle of October in Pal- 

 estine the oranges were still too green to be infested with Ceratitis. 

 Even though the fly may be present and actually deposit eggs in the 

 fruit, there is no danger of the larvae developing if the fruit is imma- 

 ture. In spite of numerous punctures and eggs in the fruit which 

 were seen in Sicily up to October 1 and in Palestine up to October 15, 

 no larvae succeeded in developing or getting beyond the egg cavity, 

 but there perished. 



The lemon is an unusual and rare host for Ceratitis, at least in the 

 great lemon-producing section of Sicily. It was only very rarely, 

 and, it must be admitted, more or less accidentally, and after much 

 persistent searching, that lemons were found infested in Sicily. Out 

 of numbers running into hundreds of thousands only 15 were found 

 infested. And all of these infested lemons were so badly broken 

 down by decay that they would not only be rejected for shipping, 

 but, with three or four exceptions, would be rejected for the by- 

 product factory. So far as one season's experience in Sicily warrants 

 the conclusion, therefore, there is only the remotest possibility of the 

 entrance of Ceratitis into this country through the importation of 

 lemons from Italy. 



In the case of most other fresh mature fruits, which are harvested 

 between May and November, inclusive, and coming from the Medi- 

 terranean -countries, the possibility of Ceratitis introduction can be 

 removed only through a strict embargo against such fruits or a 

 subjection to a rigid inspection. 



THE OLIVE FLY. 



Dacus oleae Rossi. 



Since the olive is usually grown in the same countries as citrus 

 trees, it may be pertinent in this place to mention the olive fly. 

 This insect, Dacus oleae, is one of the most serious pests of the Medi- 

 terranean countries. In fact it is the opinion of the writer that it far 

 outranks Ceratitis capitata. A heavy infestation of the olive fly has 

 been seen in different places, but particularly in Sicily and southern 



