Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Medfly)

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This species is not a resident of the County, so the individuals pictured here were probably released in the USDA-CDFA Mediterranean Fruit Fly Exclusion Program. In some of them the ptilinum (bottom image, center front of head) and some other parts of the body (arrows on the image to the left) show the reddish dye used to mark the released individuals in the sterile release program. Information provided by Dr. Stephen D. Gaimari, Program Supervisor (Entomology) and Co-Curator, California State Collection of Arthropods, Plant Pest Diagnostics Lab, California Department of Food and Agriculture.