Black Fig Fly - Wilson Lab @ UC Riverside

Monitoring

Damaged Fruit - Larval Feeding and Exit Holes: Fig fruits can be inspected for signs of BFF activity, such as larval feeding or exit holes. Focus on unripe fruits that have recently fallen from the tree.

Damage to fig from black fig fly larva (Photo: H. Wilson)
Damage to fig from black fig fly larva (Photo: H. Wilson)
When BFF larva exit the fig, they leave a small (1 mm) exit hole (Photo: H. Wilson)
When BFF larva exit the fig, they leave a small (1 mm) exit hole (Photo: H. Wilson)

Traps and Lures: Populations of BFF adults can also be monitored using McPhail-type traps baited with torula yeast lures. For a single trap, combine 20 grams, or four tablets, of torula yeast with 400 ml of water and replace this solution every two weeks. 

McPhail-type trap hanging on a fig tree (Photo: V. Ebrahimi)
McPhail-type trap hanging on a fig tree (Photo: V. Ebrahimi)
Torula yeast in McPhail-type trap (Photo: V. Ebrahimi)
Torula yeast in McPhail-type trap (Photo: V. Ebrahimi)