Rhagoletis cerasi

Rhagoletis cerasi
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Tephritidae
Genus:	Rhagoletis
Species:	R. cerasi
Binomial name
Rhagoletis cerasi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
List Musca cerasi Linnaeus, 1758 Rhagoletis fasciata Rohdendorf, 1961 Rhagoletis nigripes Rohdendorf, 1961 Rhagoletis obsoleta Hering, 1936 Rhagoletis signata (Meigen, 1826) Tephritis ceraci Persson, 1958 Trypeta signata Meigen, 1826 Urophora cerasorum Dufour, 1845 Urophora liturata Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Rhagoletis cerasi (the cherry fruit fly or European cherry fruit fly) is a species of fruit fly in the family Tephritidae.

Distribution

This species is widespread in most of Europe, except British Islands, in western Siberia to Caucasus, in Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Altai. It was first detected in North America in 2016.

Description

Rhagoletis cerasi can reach a body length of about 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in). These small fruit flies have a shiny body, dark brown, almost black. Mesonotum shows silvery vittae. The wings are transparent, with four transverse dark stripes. Eyes are green with reddish reflections. The head is brown, while scutellum and the legs are yellow.

This species is very similar to Rhagoletis berberidis.

Biology

The adults can be found from late May to early July. They feed on the sugary secretions produced by the cherry itself or by insects (such as the aphid honeydew). After 10–15 days the females lay 50-80 eggs one at a time in the pulp of the fruit. After 6–12 days the eggs hatch and white legless larvae 4–6 mm long come out and feed on the pulp of the fruit. During the ripening the larvae leave the fruit and pupate in the soil, where they overwinter. Usually this species have one generation every 1–2 years.

These fruit flies are considered a major pest of cherry crops in Europe and Asia. They damage also the fruits of apricot, honeysuckle, barberry, bird cherry and snowberry.

Gallery

• 
  Drawing of cherry fruit fly
• 
  Larva in a cherry fruit
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  Image
• Video clip

Bibliography

• Luigi Masutti, Sergio Zangheri, Entomologia generale e applicata, Padova, CEDAM, 2001, p. 745-746, ISBN 88-13-23135-0. (in Italian)
• Mario Ferrari, Elena Marcon; Andrea Menta, Fitopatologia, Entomologia agraria e biologia applicata, 3rd ed., Bologna, Calderini Edagricole, 2000, ISBN 88-206-4159-3. (in Italian)

External links

• Data related to Rhagoletis cerasi at Wikispecies
• Media related to Rhagoletis cerasi at Wikimedia Commons
• Les Insectes (in French)
• Kirschfruchtfliege (in German)
• Species Profile: European Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cerasi), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library