8 
THE PARASITE OF THE FRUIT MAGGOT, 
THE PARASITE OF THE FRUIT MAGGOT. 
BY 
Henry Tryon. 
(Read on 5th May, 1892). 
The fruit maggot of Queensland— the larval form of a small 
wasp-hke fly, a species of Tephritis— is one of the worst pests 
which the orchardist has to contend with in any part of the 
world. It is probable that at present it is responsible for the 
destruction of considerably more than half of the frait grown in 
the southern part of the colony, excluding the consideration of 
bananas, grapes, and perhaps oranges, which fruits it does not 
attack to any large extent. We may meet with it plentifully in 
our apples, pears, quinces, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, 
guavas, Brazilian cherries, pomegranates, and to a less extent in 
persimmons and the citraceous fruits. Such an extended notice 
of It has already been given in my “ Insect and Fungus Pests ” 
Me pp. 54-74) that no occasion exists for further dealing with 
It this evening, except to mention one fact— namely, that it is 
now being kept in check by an insect which is parasitic upon it. Liv- 
ing examples of the adult Tephritis audits parasite are before you. 
During my investigation into the life history of the fruit 
maggot it more than once happened that small hymenopterous 
msects belonging to the family Braconid® were observed wending 
their way with peculiar characteristic flight-not rapid, but jerky 
with quick and continuous vibration of the wings-amongst the 
boughs of trees the fruit of which had been observed to be » mag- 
gotty and above such of the crop as had faUen to the ground 
Ever and anon the tiny insect would alight on a fruit as if to 
L tb^Wt I’"'*® the fact of its parasitism 
bevond^ a’ early suspected, couldnot be placed 
come of Tser- 1 in the 
urse of a series of experiments undertaken for the purpose of 
estmg the operation of a new insecticidal agent, had occasion 
magHl'°“V™'‘ Brazilian cherries infested by fruit 
out togetC wTt/^ hymenopterous insects having hatched 
together with the msects sought, Mr. Strachan consulted me 
