178 Maine Agpicultural Experiment Station. 1917. 



currant fly, Yellozv currant fruit fly, Yellozv currant fly or 

 gooseberry fruit fly, Yellow currant and gooseberry fruit fly. 



The common name, currant fruit fly, has been adopted by 

 the American Association of Economic Entomologists (1909, p. 

 15) and the pest should be so designated by writers in order that 

 uniformity of common names of insects may be secured. This 

 common name, however, is restrictive and misleading, as it nat- 

 urally gives the impression that the fruit fly confines its attacks 

 to currants ; when, in reality, gooseberries are just as seriously 

 infested. In all probability, the committee on nomenclature did 

 not take into consideration the dark currant fly (Rhagoletis ribi- 

 €ola Doane) or a more distinctive common name would have 

 been given to Epochra canadensis. The yellow currant or goose- 

 berry fruit fly would have been a far more appropriate name for 

 this trypetid. 



Description of Adult. 



Epochra canadensis is somewhat smaller than a house fly, 

 and possess a more slender body. The body of recently emerged 

 flies is pale yellow, but after the adults have been on the wing for 

 a week or two the color changes to dark yellow. The legs are 

 also yellow; the eyes are greenish irridescent and the wings are 

 striped with brown crossbands (Fig. 17, A-E). 



Harvey (1895, pp. 118-122) has published a technical des- 

 cription of the male and female fly, as well as of the &gg, larva 

 and pupa, and to these details those interested are referred. 



DISTRIBUTION AND DESTRUCTIVENESS. 



The distribution of the species in Canada and the United 

 States was ascertained from literature and through correspon- 

 dence with entomologists. A currant fruit fly was sent to nearly 

 aH Provincial entomologists. State entomologists and dipterolo- 

 gists accompanied with a letter asking for the locality record of 

 any adults which might be found in their collections of insects 

 or records from letters or notes. Records from letters when ac- 

 companied with infested currants or gooseberries or notes ob- 

 tained from infested fruit observed in the field can not be con- 

 sidered reliable unless the imago is bred, for such fruit may have 

 been attacked by the dark currant fruit fly (Rhagoletis ribicola 



