Cherry Fruit FlyCherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis cingulata)
Cherry Fruit Flies are pests of both wild and cultivated cherries and infest both sweet and sour cherries.
They are found predominately in eastern United States and Canada. The adult fly is about 1/2 the size of a house fly and has wings marked with dark bands. The female lays eggs in the cherry fruit that hatch in 5 to 8 days, depending on the temperature.
The maggots feed on cherry flesh near the pit often causing malformed fruits. These infested fruits are more susceptible to brown rot and other unappetizing diseases.
Photo courtesy of INRA France, French National Institute for Agricultural Research. www.international.inra.fr/
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