Fruit flies are insect pests, that greatly damage fruits and vegetables causing losses to both fruit farmers and traders. This can be controlled through following the integrated agricultural practices.
Fruit flies lay about 100- 1000 eggs in their lifecycle depending on the life time as they can fly easily from one farm to another causing a great damages to orchard farmers. Females fly use pointed anus to inject eggs into fruit which cause black or brown spots on the outer layer. After 2 day the eggs hatch into maggots as well as dropping off of fruit as worms grow. Later after 1 week worms enter soil, turn into brown cocoons in the next week and lastly fruit flies emerge.
Diagnosis of fruit flies: Pre mature fruit drop, check hanging traps in which the fruit flies collect and regular fields inspection to identify their presence.
Control of fruit flies
Mass trapping, this traps both male and female fruit flies, you can also spray a bait pre mixed with insecticide, use baits these attract and kills fruit flies controlling flies from laying eggs into a fruit.
Additionally protect beneficial insects like ants, these scare away fruit flies. Collect infected fruits and burry them to prevent maggots from developing into flies. Destroy rotten fruits in the market all times, this aims at avoiding more damage to fruits lowering losses.
