Fruit Fly
Euaresta stigmatica
The fruit fly adult is shown at upper right near the flowering/fruiting inflorescence. The host plant is Canyon Ragweed (Ambrosia ambrosioides). Other organisms associated with this plant and shown above include a red and black hispine leaf beetle. The stippled spots on leaf at lower left represent Gall Mites.
Tephritidae -- Fruit Fly Family
Fruit flies of the family Tephritdae usually dispay
characteristic patterns on their wings. Unlike pomice flies, the common fruit
fly of overripe fruit, tephritidae feed in developing fruit. The species shown here
developes within the developing seed inside the burr and is found associated
with the other Ambrosia species as well including common ragweed. The feeding
larvae destroy the seeds and so this insect has been studied as possible
biological control agent for ragweeds that cause hayfever. A more detailed
image of this fruitfly is available at: