48 BULLETIN" 536, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



October 2, 1913, only 7 adults were reared. Four adults were reared from 33 ripe fruits 

 in which many eggs were laid under forced laboratory conditions during December, 

 1915, and January, 1916. The fruits usually ripen uninfested. 



69. Natal Plum (Terminalia chebula). 



The Natal plum {Terminalia chebula) is well infested as the fruits ripen and has 

 proved an excellent source of larvae for experimental work. From two lots of fruit 

 of 12 pounds each, 2,761 and 2,655 adults, respectively, were reared during October- 

 November, 1915. 



70. Tropical Almond or Winged Kamani (Terminalia catappa). 



The tropical almond or winged kamani (Terminalia catappa) is a preferred host. 

 It is one of the most reliable sources for fruit-fly material in the Hawaiian Islands. 

 The pulp, upon which the larvae feed as the fruit ripens, is scarcely three-eighths of 

 an inch thick. (See PI. XIX.) Severin obtained from 25 fruits 1,380 larvae; 98 

 larvae from one fruit. The writers have reared many thousands of larvae for experi- 

 mental work. From 16 lots of fruit from different Honolulu localities collected dur- 

 ing October, 1915, totaling 1,531 fruits, 10,005 larvae developed. From 3,902 fruits 

 collected from 28 localities during November and December, 1915, only 11,481 larvae 

 developed. It remains to be seen whether the scarcity of larvae in the fruits develop- 

 ing during late 1915 was due to the work of parasites or to other causes. 



71. Bestlll (Thevetia neriifolia). 



The bestill or yellow oleander ( Thevetia neriifolia) is never infested until it begins 

 to turn black when ripening. Until then it is excellently protected by its white 

 sticky sap which exudes rapidly from any slight abrasions in the epidermis. The 

 pulp is quite dry and pithy and often escapes infestation, particularly during dry 

 spells. When the fruits ripen very slowly during colder weather and fall to damp 

 shaded spots, as many as 38 adults may be reared from a single fruit. In Bermuda, 

 in the absence of an abundance of other hosts, the Thevetia was found very badly 

 infested with unusually large larvae during December. In Honolulu many fruits 

 ripen uninfested. 



72. Grape (Vitis labrusca). 



The Isabella grape (Vitis labrusca) is the only grape grown in any quantity in 

 Hawaii. The fruits mature and are sold on the markets and appear to be entirely 

 free from fruit-fly attack. This variety of grape is, however, subject to slight attack. 

 One fruit inspector detailed to collect suspicious-appearing fruits brought to the office 

 978 berries as the result of a 4-day search. A careful examination by H. F. W T lllard 

 of these with a hand lens revealed five well-grown larvae in two lots of fruit totaling 

 201 berries. Two of the larvae died, but the other three developed into adults identi- 

 fied as C. capitata. 



Newman, in western Australia, states, in 1912, that he found C. capitata frequently 

 in grapes, yet in 1914 he writes that at Crawley little or no sound fruit had been picked 

 for years except grapes. Lounsbury, in 1907, states that he found grapes only slightly 

 infested in South Africa. Whatever the degree of infestation is elsewhere, in the 

 Hawaiian Islands it is so slight that it is never noticed in the vineyards where fruit is 

 grown for the production of wine or where fruits are ripening for table purposes on 

 isolated vines growing in badly infested districts of Honolulu. Excellent bunches of 

 grapes are picked within a few feet of badly infested peaches. 



