Appendix. 



495 



THE CHERRY FRUIT FLY. 



(Illiagijlrtis ccrasi. Liim.) 



This serious cheriy pest oa the Coutiiii'iit is reooi-dcd by N'ei-rall as 

 British. Wliether or not it'^is a true native insect we do not Icnow, or 

 whether the reeord is purely from the, presence of the mag^^ot of this Ay 

 in imported fruit. In any case growers know notliing cjf it, and no one 

 seems to be able to obtain authentic liritish records, that is, tiudin"- the 

 actual creature Ijreeding in this country. 



A short description is appended owing to its sericjus depredations on 

 the Continent and the too frequent importation of infested cherries intcj 

 this country. Fortunately, we do not peel or cut chei'ries in two ; the 

 result is that the maggots, as a rule, are eaten with the clierries. Tins, 

 if nasty, is to the benetit of the home grower. 



The fly, which is common in tlie wai-mer parts of Europe, can at once 

 be told by its wing marlcirigs. 



It appears in ^lay, .June and onwards. The female jiunctures the 

 skin of the cherry obliquely and lays her egg in the flesh ; some say near 

 the stalk, and that the maggot 



penetrates into the fruit on '^ \ 



hatching. The egg is white and 

 elongate, about 0'02 inch long, 

 somewhat broadened towards one 

 end. A distinct scar marks where 

 the egg has been laid. The incu- 

 bation lasts but a few days. Tlie 

 maggot is ci'eamy-white, quite 

 footless, pointed towards tlie 

 head end, where are two small 



processes above, two larger ones below ; the tail end is truncated. In length 

 it reaches nearly \ inch. Their abode is the flesh of the cherry, where 

 they Imrrow around the stone for three or four weeks. They are usually 

 mature abijut the time the cherries are ripe and in the consumers' hands. 

 Attacked fruit .shows, as a rule, a brown discoloured patch on one side. 

 Attacked fruits do not seem always to fall, but in all cases the maggots 

 leave them and pupate in the grouml, in a brown puparium case with 

 two short horn-like points at each end. 



These puparia may also be found at the bottom of l;askets, boxes, 

 etc., in which the cherries are sent to this country, and also amongst 

 rubbish. 



It is said that the maggots are not found in fruits with acid pulp, 

 such a3 Hortense, Reine, Montmorency and Koyale, but especially occur 



FH!. 3ir).— "Hi.xn 



[/•'. meitjUn. 

 ;kv Kl;uri' FLY. 



