. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. - 820 - THE MELON FLY The recent finding of a single gravid female Dacus cucurbitae on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles is of interest as this pest is not known to be established in the United States. The specimen was collected in a bait trap on July 24. No additional specimens have been found even though an intensive survey was immediately initiated. This species is considered the most important cucurbit pest of the Inda- Malayan region where it originated. About 1895 the melon fly was intro- duce
. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. - 820 - THE MELON FLY The recent finding of a single gravid female Dacus cucurbitae on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles is of interest as this pest is not known to be established in the United States. The specimen was collected in a bait trap on July 24. No additional specimens have been found even though an intensive survey was immediately initiated. This species is considered the most important cucurbit pest of the Inda- Malayan region where it originated. About 1895 the melon fly was intro- duced into Hawaii. There, the pest has made it practically impossible to grow cantaloups in the Honolulu area and it has seriously curtailed the production of melons, cucumbers and tomatoes. As early as 1915 losses from the insect reached nearly $1, 000, 000 annually. The species has caused severe damage to cucurbits in Formosa and in the North-West Frontier Province of India (an area now included in Pakistan). Although the insect is primarily a pest of melons and other cucurbits, its preferred hosts are not limited to these plants. Preferred food plants include: cantaloup, chayote, Chinese cucumber, Chinese melon, cowpea, cucumber, gourds, squash, string beans, tomatoes, watermelon and pumpkin. Plants sometimes infested are bellapple (passiflora), eggplant, fig, mango, orange, papaya and peach. The entire host list includes over 80 species of plants. Areas from which the melon fly has been recorded are Africa (Kenya only); Mauritius; Asia-Burma, Ceylon, China, Formosa (Taiwan), India, Indonesia, Malaya, Pakistan; Okinawa; Philippines; Mariana Islands- Guam, Saipan, Tinian; and Hawaii. Control methods include malathion bait sprays. To some extent pro- tective coveringby soil, paper or cloth is still used. The adult melon fly is about one-fourth of an inch long, with a wing spread of nearly one-half inch, and has a yellowish brown body. The markings between the wings are bright cana
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