Bactrocera scutellata Los Angeles County Wilmington Los Angeles County Department of Agriculture trapper Negash Bahta found one sexually mature male Bactrocera scutellata on January 6, 1999, in a McPhail trap along Anchorage Road. The trap was placed in an avocado tree. The trap density at the time of the find was 5 McPhail traps
per square mile. In response, CDFA will increase the trap density
to 50 Jackson/Cue-lure traps and 25 McPhail traps per square
mile in the core square mile area around the find. The Jackson/Cue-lure
trap density in the first buffer of eight square miles will be
25 traps per square mile, with a 15-10 array ouside the first
buffer. The general appearance of Bactrocera scutellata resembles an Oriental fruit fly, but B. scutellata differs from it by the wing pattern and the coloration pattern on the abdomen. The wing has the dark mark along the front edge which is expanded into a small spot at the wing tip, which is similar to but much smaller than that of a melon fruit fly. The abdomen has the usual T-shaped mark, but the front edges of segments 4 and 5 are darkened laterally and may extend completely across the abdomen, causing the abdomen to appear to have three consecutive short T-shaped marks. The size of the captured specimen is slightly larger than a typical Oriental fruit fly. Males are attracted to cue lure, and therefore can be found on melon fly traps. When servicing these traps, trappers should be reminded to submit any specimens which display the typical Bactrocera thorax and wing patterns regardless of the pattern on the abdomen. Bactrocera scutellata occurs in China, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Malaysia. It has been reared only from a few Cucurbitaceae, specifically from male flower buds of pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.), from flower and stem galls on Melothria liukiuensis, and from Trichosanthes cucumeroides. There is a doubtful record of pear as a host.
Prepared by: John Pozzi |
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