Species Rhagoletis ribicola - Dark Currant Fly

adult length 4-5 mm

larva length 7-9 mm

Adult: top of thorax black with 2 or 4 longitudinal gray stripes; scutellum yellow; abdomen black with thin white band across each segment (see drawing of body); wings clear except for 3 dark crossbands; the distal crossband has a projecting "arm" (an anterior apical crossband) running parallel to the costa, but lacks a posterior apical crossband (see image of wing)

Larva: body cylindrical, whitish or yellowish; dorsal spinules present on all thoracic segements and first two abdominal segments

British Columbia to California, east to Montana and New Mexico

on or near gooseberry or currant plants (Ribes spp.)

adults in summer and fall

larvae mostly in fall

larvae feed on the fruit of 3 species of gooseberry and currant (Ribes spp.)

eggs are laid below skin of host fruit and hatch after 3-7 days; larvae feed on fruit for 2-5 weeks, then pupate; adults live up to 40 days; overwinters as a pupa in soil beneath host plant; one generation per year

The adult Western Cherry Fruit Fly (Rhagoletis indifferens) has a virtually identical body, but its wing has a posterior apical crossband fused to the anterior apical crossband, forming a branched Y shape, shown in this image and these two live photos: 1, 2.

detailed description of adult plus common name reference, distribution, hostplants, images of body and wing (L.E. Carroll et al, Pest Fruit Flies of the World - Adults, delta-intkey.com)

detailed description of larva plus anatomical drawings (L.E. Carroll et al, Pest Fruit Flies of the World - Larvae, delta-intkey.com)

data sheet; PDF doc including common name, description, distribution, hostplants, biology, control methods (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization)