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Apple Maggot Fly
(Extension, Purdue University)

Common Name: Apple Maggot Fly

Order: Diptera

Family: Tephritidae

Pest Status: Apple maggots can become pests of apples, plums, pears, and cherries.

Appearance: Apple maggot flies are 1/2-inch long, black and have white bands that run across the abdomen. The distinctive feature of apple maggot flies is their large, clear wings that have four distinct, black bands.

Life Cycle: Female flies lay their eggs in the pulp of host fruit. Within five to 10 days, the eggs hatch and the maggots tunnel inside the fruit for two to 10 weeks. When the larvae leave the fruit, they burrow into the soil where they form pupal cells. The pupae overwinter until the adults emerge from the ground during the early summer.

Where to Collect: In the summer, apple maggot flies can be found on the leaves or fruit of apple trees and other host plants.