ARS | Publication request: Subtropical Fruit Fly Invasions into Temperate Fruit Fly Territory in California's San Joaquin Valley

Submitted to: Entomology Society of America Pacific Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 2, 2011
Publication Date: March 15, 2011
Citation: Yokoyama, V.Y. 2011. Subtropical Fruit Fly Invasions into Temperate Fruit Fly Territory in California's San Joaquin Valley. Entomology Society of America Pacific Branch Meeting. 135.

Technical Abstract: Subtropical fruit fly species including peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders); melon fly, B. cucurbitae (Coquillett); oriental fruit fly, B. dorsalis (Hendel); and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata Weidemann, have been detected in the past decade in the San Joaquin Valley of California. This southern part of the Central Valley is the primary agricultural production region for the state and considered a world breadbasket. A temperate climate fruit fly, walnut husk fly, Rhagoletis completa (Cresson) is established in walnuts in the San Joaquin Valley. A Mediterranean climate fruit fly, olive fruit fly, B. oleae (Rossi) was first found in 1998, and became established in olives but in low numbers. The biology of these species allowed them to survive the hot, arid summers and cold winters. The occurrence of a diversity of subtropical fruit flies in the past few years and their failure to establish is discussed in relation to their biology and host availability. The detection of exotic fruit flies in areas where they have never occurred is presented in relation to the geography and sociology of the region.