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The secret enemy of fruit trees: Why does the Carambola fruit fly pose such a serious threat to agriculture?
In agricultural production, fruit trees face threats not only from weather changes, but also from many hidden insect enemies. Bactrocera carambolae, the Carambola fruit fly, is one of the major known introduced pests. This insect was first described in 1994 and is native to Malaysia, southern Thailand and western Indonesia in Asia. In recent years, it has rapidly invaded South America due to trade relations, posing a huge threat to the local fruit industry.
According to the report, the Carambola fruit fly has been classified as a high-priority pest in the biosecurity plan for the tropical fruit industry and is listed as a quarantine pest in Brazil.
Identification features
Bactrocera carambolae belongs to the Drosophila family and is genetically similar to other species of the B. dorsalis complex. The body features of this fruit fly include a black thorax and brown-edged posterior markings on the abdomen, as well as a black longitudinal band consisting of three abdominal sickles. The body length of adult fruit flies is 6 to 8 mm, and females and males differ in the length and shape of their abdomens.
Life cycle
Bactrocera carambolae is a polyphagous insect known to infect more than 100 different host plants, including avocado, guava, mango, papaya and orange. The female lays eggs under the skin of the host fruit, and the eggs hatch within two days. The larvae will begin to feed on the fruit immediately after hatching. After seven to ten days, the mature fruit falls to the ground. The larvae pupate in the soil and become adults about a week later. The entire life cycle lasts approximately 35 days, and the rate of development of its immature stages is accelerated by rising temperatures.
Behavior
Feeding behavior
These fruit flies often feed before laying their eggs and may mark the surface of the fruit with dark spots. These spots are caused by the eggs laid by the female insect in the fruit and are particularly noticeable on fruits such as carambola, cherries and guavas. These fruit flies prefer tropical fruits and use their long beaks to pierce the fruit's skin and suck out the liquid in the pulp.
Mating and pheromones
Adult male fruit flies are able to mate, although the larval stage also releases pheromones to some extent. Males are strongly attracted to a compound called clove oil and convert it into an aphrodisiac compound that is released during courtship to attract females. Pheromone production increases with age and reaches its peak at sexual maturity.
Impact
The existence of Bactrocera carambolae has had a profound impact on agricultural ecosystems, not only threatening the economic interests of crops, but also potentially affecting food security and human health. Invasions of this fruit fly are reported to often lead to complete crop failure, especially for economically important plants such as papaya, mango and avocado. In addition, in response to these fruit fly invasions, farmers are required to use more pesticides, which in turn has further impacts on the environment.
Prevention and Control
In terms of controlling Carambola fruit flies, studies have shown that the Amazon pathogenic fungus Metarhizium has a significant insecticidal effect on the larvae and pupae of B. carambolae. Wrapping fruit is an effective way to control fruit flies. You can wrap the fruit in newspapers or brown paper bags to create a physical barrier that helps prevent the production of eggs. In terms of chemical control, choosing environmentally friendly bait sprays can effectively reduce ecological impacts. This spray contains insecticides and protein baits and can be applied in a targeted manner.
As globalization intensifies, it is particularly important to understand and guard against these hidden enemies. In future agricultural protection, whether more effective methods of detecting and controlling enemies can be found will be a question that all farmers and scientists need to continue to think about?
