Mediterranean Fruit Fly

Scientific name: Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824)

Common name: Mediterranean fruit fly, Medfly

Synonyms: Ceratitis citriperda (MacLeay), Ceratitis hispanica (De Brême), Paradalaspis asparagi (Bezzi), Tephritis capitata (Wiedemann)

Native To: Sub-Saharan Africa

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1910 (Hawaii); detections in the continental U.S. began in 1929

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Usually through imported fruit and other crops infested with fruit fly larvae

Impact: Attacks over 400 species of host plants, including many species of citrus and vegetable crops

Current U.S. Distribution:

• Hawaii; some infestations have been recently discovered in California (see National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS) map for current infestation status)

Quarantine:

• Fruit Flies (scroll down to view Quarantine and map information)
  • Domestic Fruit Fly Quarantine in San Diego County, California (Dec 22, 2008; PDF | 15 KB)
  • Quarantine Map - San Diego County, California (PDF | 1.9 MB)

Management Plans: Animals / Exotic Fruit Fly

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Ceratitis capitata
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Fruit Flies
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Impacts; Controls; Special Note: Quarantine Areas and Action Plan (2003; PDF | 1.1 MB)

Ceratitis capitata
USDA. APHIS. Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey. National Agricultural Pest Information System.
Photographs; Distribution; Special Note: Recent News

Ceratitis capitata Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Mediterranean Fruit Fly
Arizona Department of Agriculture.
Identification/Description; Impacts; Controls

Mediterranean Fruit Fly Pest Profile
California Department of Food and Agriculture. Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution

Pest Alert: The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata and Exotic Fruit Fly Information
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Division of Plant Industry
Photographs; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Dispersion

The Mediterranean Fruit Fly (PDF | 135 KB)
Arizona State University. Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

Mediterranean Fruit Flies (Ceratitis capitata)
eXtension.org.
Impacts; Life Cycle

Mediterranean Fruit Fly - Featured Creatures
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)
University of Hawaii. Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Integrated Pest Management Program.
Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

Ceratitis capitata - Data Sheets on Quarantine Pests (PDF | 49 KB)
European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: See also Photographs

Control of Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Medfly) in Backyards
Western Australia Department of Agriculture and Food.
Photographs; Life Cycle; Controls; Legal Aspects

Ceratitis capitata (insect) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Mediterranean Fruit Fly
HungryPests Coalition.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Medfly
Invasive.org.
Photographs

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)
Pest Fruit Flies of the World.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Distribution