CITRUS FRUIT INSECTS IN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES. 27 
son in October and November, and again during the final shipments, 
the last of June and first of July. The reason more infested oranges 
do not occur in Spain is not, as has been suggested, because the fruit 
is picked too green, but because practically all the fruit matures and 
is harvested at a season when the fly is not active or breeding. This 
applies to practically all semi tropical countries where citrus fruits 
are grown commercially. Plenty of oranges were seen in Spain that 
were fully mature in March, but which were not harvested until 
May or June. The heavy shipments do not begin in Spain until 
November, and by May the season is virtually ended. 
What has been said regarding oranges in Spain applies to all the 
Mediterranean citrus sections. Up to the middle of October in Pal- 
estine the oranges were still too green to be infested with Ceratitis. 
Even though the fly may be present and actually deposit eggs in the 
fruit, there is no danger of the larvge developing if the fruit is imma- 
ture. In spite of numerous punctures and eggs in the fruit which 
were seen in Sicily up to October 1 and in Palestine up to October 15, 
no larvas succeeded in developing or getting beyond the egg cavity, 
but there perished. 
The lemon is an unusual and rare host for Ceratitis, at least in the 
great lemon-producing section of Sicily. It was only very rarely, 
and, it must be admitted, more or less accidentally, and after much 
persistent searching, that lemons were found infested in Sicily. Out 
of numbers running into hundreds of thousands only 15 were found 
infested. And all of these infested lemons were so badly broken 
down by decay that they would not only be rejected for shipping, 
but, with three or four exceptions, would be rejected for the by- 
product factory. So far as one season's experience in Sicily warrants 
the conclusion, therefore, there is only the remotest possibility of the 
entrance of Ceratitis into this country through the importation of 
lemons from Italy. 
In the case of most other fresh mature fruits, which are harvested 
between May and November, inclusive, and coming from the Medi- 
terranean -countries, the possibility of Ceratitis introduction can be 
removed only through a strict embargo against such fruits or a 
subjection to a rigid inspection. 
THE OLIVE FLY. 
Dacus oleae Rossi. 
Since the olive is usually grown in the same countries as citrus 
trees, it may be pertinent in this place to mention the olive fly. 
This insect, Dacus oleae, is one of the most serious pests of the Medi- 
terranean countries. In fact it is the opinion of the writer that it far 
outranks Ceratitis capitata. A heavy infestation of the olive fly has 
been seen in different places, but particularly in Sicily and southern 
