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Western Cherry Fruit Fly

 

western cherry fruit fly western cherry fruit flywestern cherry fruit fly wing

Hosts:  cherry


Biology:  Western cherry fruit fly is a common pest of cherries in northern and central Utah and in Idaho.  Every cherry can be infested by a maggot if populations are high.  The dark banding pattern on the wings of the cherry fruit fly is a malformed letter “F” with the cross-bar originating from the upper vertical bar rather than the upright bar.


Symptoms/Damage:  Small holes in fruit with maggots inside; collapsed fruit if injury is severe; larvae floating in tart cherry harvest tanks.


Monitoring:  Yellow stick traps baited with ammonium carbonate. 


Treatment Threshold:  No threshold determined.


Degree Day Model: 

  • Lower threshold:  41°F


Management Considerations:  To prevent egg-laying in fruits, treat when fruits develop a salmon blush color.  Proper timing of insecticides is important.