Flores, Maria Bleshielda C., Noriga, Ellen G. ( January 1997 )
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
The biology of the Oriental Fruit fly ( Bactrocera Philippinesis ) on different host fruit was studied. This includes the mating behavior, oviposition of the female fruitfly, the number of eggs laid by the female fruit fly, the total number of larvae collected from the host fruits, and the adult emergence.
It was observed that the usual mating of fruit-flies was during night time, and that wing vibrating male successfully copulated than those which are not.
The sexual maturities stage of the fruitflies was 26 to 30 days after adult emergence, after which copulation took place.
The eggs laid by the female fruitflies hatched into larvae after 2-3 days. The larvae became pupae after 8-9 days, and the adult flies emerged 10 days after the pupal stage.
The oviposition preference was not the same for all the female fruitflies. Majority preferred the skin of the fruits while others oviposited on the flesh of the host fruits.
Results showed that a total of 191 eggs were observed in mango fruits and only 87 eggs in guava fruits for the total five replicates, fifteen ( 15 ) days after the first oviposition of the female fruitflies. This indicate that more eggs are laid on mango fruits than on guava fruits.
The Oriental Fruitflies were also tested for host preference. Results showed that two mango fruits weighing a total of approximately 560 grams contained 124 pupae while 4 guava fruits weighing approximately 490 grams contained 258 pupae in two sieving. This result shows that the guava fruits supported the survival and development of the fruit-flies from egg up to the pupal stage.