26 BULLETIN 536, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



at Waikiki, containing very green as well as overripe fruit, yielded no adults when 

 placed over sand in jars. Of 221 ripe peppers gathered at the same place during . 

 November, 1915, 213 were not infested; the 8 infested fruits contained from 1 to 5 

 larvae each, or a total of 19 larvae. Thirty-five adults were reared during December, 

 1913, from 100 ripe peppers, whilefrom 13 peppers collected on March 25, 1913, 14adults 

 were reared. The fruit fly was first reared from peppers in Honolulu by E. M. Ehr- 

 horn, who reared 6 adults from peppers collected at Kaimuki. While there are 

 reports that all peppers are infested, the writers have never known infestation to 

 exceed 5 per cent of the fruits examined. 



Chile peppers (Capsicum spp.) have never been found infested by the writers, 

 although many fruits have been under observation. 



9, 10. Papaya (Carica papaya and C. quercifolia). 



The papaya (Carica papaya) is one of the commonest plants about Honolulu and its 

 fruit is the universal breakfast fruit, yet the writers have never seen a fruit sufficiently 

 ripe and fit for eating purposes infested with larvae. Only fruits too ripe for the table 

 or those having decayed spots are found infested. Sound fruits cut from the tree 

 several days before they soften, a practice which is customary among fruit dealers, 

 are always free from infestation. The milky juice which exudes copiously from cuts 

 in the skin of the fruit contains a digestive principle said to be similar to pepsin. The 

 hands of horticulturists working with the papaya soon become sore if exposed to this 

 juice. It has been shown by Knab and Yothers that the larvae of the papaya fruit 

 fly (Toxotrypana curvicauda) can not live in the pulp of papayas still green, because 

 of this juice. This is true also in the case of C. capitata until the fruits are ripe, 

 although several of about 500 eggs introduced artificially into well-grown but still 

 green-colored papayas attached to the tree were able to hatch; the larvae died. It 

 has been stated in Honolulu that fruits were infested while still green, but the writers 

 have never been able to verify this and all evidence would appear to disprove it. 



During January, 1914, an adult female was observed ovipositing in a perfectly 

 sound fruit that was just beginning to turn color. Much juice had exuded around 

 the ovipositor and had formed a gummy semisolid globule. After about 3 minutes 

 the fly withdrew her ovipositor with comparative ease, but the mass of solidified 

 juice remained fast to the tip of the abdomen. The fly freed herself from this mass 

 with considerable difficulty. Seven eggs were found within the puncture, but they 

 failed to develop. 



During the winter months very ripe fruits are more heavily infested, as a rule, 

 because of the relative scarcity of other hosts. From 2 fruits picked from the tree 

 on January 18, 1914, 205 and 67 adults, respectively, were reared. Thirty-eight 

 adults were reared from a decayed area in a fruit picked July, 1913. From 6 fruits 

 gathered during May and June, 1913, 27, 13, 49, 2, 30, and 61 adults, respectively, 

 were reared . From one lot of 7 overripe fruits gathered during May only 1 was infested. 



The dwarf papaya (Carica quercifolia) serves also as a host fruit of C. capitata. 



11. Carissa arduina. 



The fruits of Carissa arduina are often found generally infested. Even at as late a 

 period in development as that when the fruit has turned deep red, slight abrasions 

 in the thin skin are followed by exudations of white sap which dries about the punc- 

 tures, as illustrated in Plate VII, figure 1. Every fruit becoming fully ripe on one 

 hedge was found, diuing February, to be well infested and as many as 30 adults were 



reared from single fruits. 



12. Sapota (Casimiroa edulis). 



The white sapota (Casimiroa edulis) is quite generally infested about the time it 

 ripens. Practically every ripe fruit falling to the ground is variously infested. As 

 many as 40 adults have been reared from a fruit 2 inches in diameter. While green 

 the fruits are protected by white sap which exudes copiously from skin abrasions. 



