Cathy Roache
County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer
Agriculture / Weights & Measures

Pest Detection

Guava Fruit Fly

Photo of Guava Fruit Fly
Male Guava Fruit Fly
captured on a sticky insert.
Enlarge Photo
Photo shows a trapper checking a Jackson Trap baited with with methyl eugenol.
Trapper inspecting a
Jackson Trap baited
with with methyl eugenol.
Photo of an inspector placing a trap in a persimmon tree.
Fruit fly detection trap
placed in a Persimmon tree

Common Name: Guava Fruit Fly
Scientific Name:Bactrocera Correcta (Bezzi)
Pest Rating: "A"


DESCRIPTION

Bactrocera correcta is a brightly-colored brown and yellow fly approximately 6.0 millimeters (mm) in length. The wings are clear with a light brown band along the leading edge and a spot at the tip. The band along the leading edge has a clear gap before the wing tip. The top of the body of both sexes are entirely yellow and the legs mostly yellow. The face has a nearly continuous black band below the antennae. The ovipositor of the female is red and rather short, measuring approximately 3.0 mm when fully extended. Immature stages of B. correcta have not been described in the literature.

HISTORY AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

This fruit fly is strongly attracted to methyl eugenol and is detected in Oriental fruit fly detection traps baited with methyl eugenol. B. correcta has the potential to become a major pest of citrus, peach, and several kinds of tropical and subtropical fruit hosts.

DISTRIBUTION

B. correcta occurs in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand and China. This pest has been detected numerous times in California since 1986. Through detection and eradication programs we have been able to keep it from becoming established.

ALAMEDA COUNTY PEST DETECTION

Guava fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi), has been captured in fruit fly detection traps in Alameda County three times since November, 1987. Most recently, on September 10, 2004, one male guava fruit fly was captured in a Jackson trap in Pleasanton; on August 23, 2000, one male fly was captured in a Jackson trap in Fremont; and on November 06, 1987, one male fly was captured in a Jackson trap in San Leandro.

LIFE CYCLE

There is no developmental information on B. correcta, but it is probably similar to B. zonata and B. tuberculatus, feeding on the same fruits.

HOSTS AND DAMAMGE

Recorded hosts include Citrus spp., Coffea canephora, Eugenia uniflora, mango, peach, apricot, guava, castor bean, castor-oil-plant, roseapple, jujube, Chinese date, fig, and sapodilla. Hosts of B. zonata must be considered potential hosts for B. correcta.

YOU CAN HELP
Working together we can keep these pests from becoming established in Alameda County. You can help by allowing Agriculture employees access to your property to install and monitor insect survey traps. To learn more, select the link below:

Pest Detection Survey