202 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



DISCUSSION OF OBSERVATIONS. 



How Do THE Maggots Enter the Fkuit. 



Early in 1888 we uoliced small punctures through the skin of 

 apples and found they led to minute channels in the flesh. By 

 carefully following these channels we found the larvse of Trypeta. 

 We also worked the other way, found the very young larvae in the 

 flesh, traced their route backward and in several instances 

 was able to follow it to these characteristic openings. These 

 openings were found to be distributed over all parts of the fruit ; 

 blossom and stem ends, and cheeks, but more abundantly on the 

 cheeks, and more frequently on the pale or shaded side of the 

 apples. All the flies observed ovipositing were in the shade at 

 the time the eggs were laid. This is natural, as the skin on the 

 shaded side would be softer. In highly colored apples these 

 punctures are hard to detect. In light colored apples they can be 

 plainly seen with the naked eye. They are not readily detected, 

 except by practice, from the brownish rust spots naturally found 

 on fruit. This is probably why they have not been before 

 observed. 



How Long Does It Take the Larv^ to Mature. 



In 1888, in Benonies, we found maggots one-eighth grown (Aug, 

 6th.) They could not have been hatched more than a we^k or so, 

 as they were so small and the channels short and near the surface. 

 By the 14th they were found one-fourth grown. By the 21st 

 they were one-half grown. By Sept. 12th they were found in 

 abundance full grown, and had commenced to vacate the fruit. 

 The above observations were made upon apples taken from the 

 same tree. 



In 1889, in Early Harvests, the minute larvae but a short time 

 hatched were observed about the 10th of July. The maggots 

 left the fruit and entered the pupae state by Aug. 10th. From 

 the above, we conclude that under favorable circmiistances they 

 mature in from four to six weeks, and soon leave the fruit. 

 Observations on several other lots in 1888-9 confirm the above 

 conclusions. 



