Morbidity of the Pupal Stage of the Mexican and West Indian Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Induced by Hot-Water Immersion in the Larval Stage

Abstract

Heat treatments are used to disinfest fruit exported from regions where Anastrepha fruit flies are indigenous. Larvae that survive the heat treatments typically form misshapen puparia. The assumption that all of these puparia will die before eclosion of the adult is shown to be incorrect. Two types of malformed puparia are typically induced by hot-water immersion. A larviform puparium is seldom viable with an eclosion rate of <1% in both the Mexican and West Indian fruit flies. However, a bottle-nosed puparium will produce an adult about 50% of the time. It should be assumed that if any larvae survive treatment to form puparia, some will give rise to adults.