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JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 11 
Distribution 
Anastrepha frater cuius might well be called the South American 
fruit-fly, as it is indigenous to, and well distributed over the warmer 
portions of South and Central America, and the West Indies, where it 
is regarded as only less destructive than the Mediterranean fruit-fly. 
Moreover, it occurs as an extremely destructive agent in many sections 
where the latter has not as yet gained entrance. So far, we have 
authentic records of its occurrence in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colom¬ 
bia, Yucatan (Mexico), Cuba and Porto Rico. Beyond a doubt it is 
found in most of the other islands of the West Indies, but has not 
been definitively reported as yet. Northern Chile, Ecuador and the 
various Central American States will doubtless be added to the list 
also, as soon as anyone is in a position to search these regions, as it 
seems certain that this fly has penetrated to all the warmer portions 
of South and Central America where fruit is grown. In some sections 
it is as yet only a menace, while in others it has assumed almost the 
proportions of a calamity. 
Damage Done 
• In the Province of Tucuman (Northern Argentina) Anastrepha 
frater cuius is variously known as “la mosca de la fruta” (the fruit-fly), 
“el gusano de la fruta” (the fruit-worm), “la mosca del naranjo” (the 
orange fly), and “el gusano del naranjo” (the orange worm). It is 
definitively known to have been present at least twenty years, and in 
conversation with old residents, the writer has learned that as long 
ago as the natives can remember, thin-skinned fruits, such as peaches 
and chirimoyas, have been regularly destroyed by a maggot, which is 
described as identical to that found in all kinds of fruits today. After 
a thorough canvass of the situation, there seems little reason to doubt 
that the fly is indigenous to this section, or has at least been present 
for several decades. 
During this period it had been noted that the pest caused more 
damage during certain years than others, and this fact was attributed 
to combinations of climatic factors not completely understood. How¬ 
ever, it appeared certain that the maximum amount of sound fruit was 
obtained following seasons during which climatic extremes of one kind 
or another had occurred. But even after such periods unfavorable to 
the fly a large percentage of the local peaches and apricots were apt 
to be wormy; in bad years practically all soft or thin-skinned fruits 
were destroyed, and in recent years even the various species of citrus 
have been, in their turn, badly infested. This latter condition is, how¬ 
ever, of only recent date, for it is only within the last three or four 
years that any infestation of citrus fruits has been noticed; but during 
