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The Mediterranean Fruit Fly in Israel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

E. Rivnay
E. Rivnay
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Station, Rehovot.
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Extract

The status of the Mediterranean fruit fly in Israel is reviewed briefly. Apricots, peaches and guavas are the most severely attacked of the summer fruits.

The ecology of the various stages of the insect is discussed. It is pointed out that, in addition -to temperature, the type of food influences the length of development of the larva. The threshold of development in the temperature development hyperbola has been calculated and found to be between 10–11°C.

The threshold of development of the pupae was found to be close to 11CC. A daily exposure of the pupae for six hours at a temperature of 32–37°C. caused no injury, but a similar exposure at 42°C. brought about a heavy mortality. At 46°C. one hour's exposure resulted in considerable injury whilst three hours' exposure killed 80 per cent, of the pupae. This explains the very high mortality of the pupae in the groves during June, July and August.

A study of the development of the eggs in the ovarioles at various degrees of temperature indicated that at 18–22°C. no appreciable development took place and at 23–25°C. it was still retarded. The optimum development temperature was found to be 27–29°C, whilst 33–34°C. was actually detrimental.

A study of the length of life of the adult showed that survival was longest between 16–19°C. at which temperature it took 100 days to reach 50 per cent, mortality and 200 days a 100 per cent, mortality.

The fluctuation of the fly population in Israel is discussed in detail. It is pointed out that the prevalence of host fruits is one of the great factors responsible for these fluctuations. An analysis of the climatic conditions month by month and its influence upon the fly population is discussed. The curve depicting the fluctuations of the fly in the coastal plain has two depressions, one between December and January, and the other in July and August. In the Upper Jordan Valley, the summer depression was more clear-cut than in the maritime plain, and the spring population reached a much greater height than that in the autumn.

The fly appeared about two months later in the hills than in the plain, namely towards early June, and it disappeared also earlier, presenting a single peak in July and August.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , September 1950 , pp. 321 - 341
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1950

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References

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