Infestation of apricot by Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Washington state and British Columbia

摘要

On 30 July 2009, R. indifferens larvae were found infesting apricot trees in Walla Walla, Washington, USA. The larvae of this pest were also detected on 7-year-old apricot trees in a garden in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, on 5 August 2009. R. indifferens is recorded for the first time on apricot in these areas. To determine if apricot could support the development of high numbers of R. indifferens larvae, ripe apricot fruits were exposed to 14-day-old flies on 19 May 2010. Four fruits were kept inside a paper container with 30 female and 30 male flies until 10 June, when the fruits were almost completely dried. Two containers with fruit and flies were set up. The fruits in one container produced 5 puparia and those in the other produced 3. Six live second- and third-instar larvae were found in all 8 fruits. From 7-19 June, one apricot fruit was also exposed to 25 females and 25 males in each of 6 containers. Fruits were opened on 19 June and only 3 of the 6 fruits were infested. Each of the 3 fruits had 4-13 larvae. For comparison, 12 sweet cherry [Prunus avium] fruits were exposed to 12 female and 12 male flies for one day. By 10 June, every set of 12 sweet cherry fruits had produced 16-86 puparia. In June 2010, R. indifferens was found infesting sweet cherry and sour cherry [P. cerasus] trees near the infested apricot tree in Walla Walla.