Mexican Fruit Fly Anastrepha ludens Created By: Mitali Gupta

 Common Name : Mexfly  Scientific Name : Anastrepha ludens  Kingdom : Animalia  Phylum : Anthropoda  Class : Insecta

From: Mexico and Central America Found in Rio Grande Valley in Texas, California, Florida and Arizona Annually migrates into southern Texas May be introduced to other areas through movement of infested fruit

 Agricultural inspectors use traps to detect flies  Farmers use pesticides to keep free of fly maggots

Consequences for People Farmer’s homegrown produce would look poor Many foods would drop and rot on the ground Fruits and Vegetables would be very expensive to grow. Consumers (us) would have to pay more for produce

 Mexican fruit flies destroy fruits and vegetables which then they lay eggs in the fresh flesh of the food.

Food Web BatsHumans Mexican Fruit FlyFruits ( oranges, avocados, grapefruit ) Frogs Animals

Why So Successful? Fruit flies are attracted by the smell of the fruits They lay maggots in the fruit which increases the population New flies help find the same kinds of fruits again The fruit flies reproduce 500 eggs at a time

Issues for the Future Control Growth  Clean orchards or leftover fruit after harvest  After harvest results to migration to non-cultivate areas with non-cultivated fruits Trade-Offs  With clean orchards = Decrease in population  Without clean orchards = Damage to many produce

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