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)

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

Traps/Lures

Populations of BFF adults can also be monitored using McPhail-type traps baited with torula yeast lures, although the efficacy of this trap/lure combination is still under evaluation.

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

Torula yeast in McPhail-type trap (Photo: V. Ebrahimi)