• Worldwide. In Australia and most Pacific island countries.
• Minor pest of brassica, cucurbit, legume, potato, grass families. Also breeds in decaying organic matter. Major hosts: beans, cabbages, cauliflowers, melon, orange, sorghum (causes ‘deadhearts’), and tomato.
• Maggots do the damage, but presence does not mean they are the cause.
• Eggs laid under calyx of fruit, in cracks, grooves, or rots caused by physical damage and those of other insects. Maggots white, 4-6 mm long. Pupae dark orange-red. Adults yellowish-grey fly, squarish head, up to 4 mm long, wingspan 3 mm, dark thorax and yellow abdomen.
• Natural enemies: pupal parasitoids.
• Biosecurity: regulated pest in New Zealand.
• Cultural control: avoid use of chicken manure as flies may use it to breed.
• Chemical control: not recommended, but if needed use neem.

Pepper fruit fly; it is also known as the tomato fruit fly.

Atherigona orientalis