Authors: J. van der Berg, A. Erasmus, M. van Rooyen. Text extracted with permission from the editors from: Prinsloo, G.L. & Uys, V.M. (Eds) 2015. Insects of Cultivated Plants and Natural Pastures in Southern Africa. Entomological Society of Southern Africa.
Two-spotted pumpkin fly
Dacus bivittatus
Other common names: greater pumpkin fly; grootpampoenvlieg (A)
Lesser cucurbit fly
Dacus ciliates
Other common names: kleinpampoenvlieg (A)
Pumpkin fly
Dacus frontalis and Dacus punctatifrons
Jointed pumpkin fly
Dacus vertebratus
Other common names: naatpampoenvlieg (A)
Eggs: Small, whitish and oval; laid in groups under the skin of the fruit. Larvae: White to cream-coloured, legless maggots, 8-10 mm in length. The rear end is blunt and the head is pointed.
Pupae: Small, brown and formed in soil.
Adults: All five pumpkin fly species look alike and it is not easy to distinguish them from each other. Dacus bivittatus, D. ciliantus and D.vertebratus are illustrated here. With their elongated, reddish-brown bodies and yellow markings, they resemble small wasps. They all have a very characteristic yellow area on the thorax where it joins the abdomen. Smaller yellow markings occur on the thorax, but they are less noticeable. All five species have clear wings with varying black markings. The black markings on the wings of Dacus bivittatus are more pronounced than in the other four species. The size (length) of the flies varies from 6-10 mm. The sizes of the three most common species are as follows: Dacus ciliatus 6-7 mm, Dacus verterbratus 8 mm and Dacus bivittatus 9-10 mm.
Greater pumpkin fly, Dacus bivittatus. Adult. — G. Goergen, IITA
Pumpkin fly, Dacus sp. A sunken area on a young pumpkin, indicating an oviposition site just beneath the skin of the fruit. — D. Visser, ARC
Pumpkin fly, Dacus sp. Larvae infesting a pumpkin fruit. — D. Visser, ARC
Greater pumpkin fly, Dacus bivittatus. Adult. — G. Goergen, IITA
