How to Manage Pests
UC Pest Management Guidelines
Fig
Vinegar Flies
Scientific Name: Drosophila spp., principally D. melanogaster
(Reviewed 7/06,
updated 7/06)
In this Guideline:
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Drosophila adults are
small, tan to amber-colored flies with red eyes, about 0.12 inch long. Larvae are
small, white, legless maggots that are up to 0.2 inch long when mature. They
differ from driedfruit beetle larvae in that they do not have a sclerotized
head capsule.
Damage is similar to the driedfruit beetle in
that presence of vinegar flies in the fruit causes downgrading or rejection of
the fruit. Vinegar flies are also responsible for transmitting spoilage
organisms to sound fruit. Late ripening varieties are especially susceptible to
damage.
Vinegar flies breed in any fermenting or decaying fruit. Remove or
disc under these hosts to reduce the population. The flies are cool season
pests; complete harvest rapidly and early to reduce exposure of fruit to
infestation. Chemicals applied for driedfruit beetle control will partially
reduce vinegar fly populations.
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UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Fig
UC ANR Publication 3447
Insects and Mites
R. L. Coviello, UC UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
W. J. Bentley, UC IPM Program, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier
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