According to the Sun Journal, the invasive fruit flies are the same size as a fruit vinegar fly that typically feeds on overripe bananas. Unlike those fruit flies, however, the Asian species feeds more on ripening fruit crops than rotting fruit, thus posing a serious threat to farmers in Maine and throughout the United States.
The Asian flies have spotted wings and saw-like appendages that allow them to rip through the skin of ripening fruit and lay their eggs inside. Once the eggs hatch, they eat their way out of the fruit and eventually lay eggs elsewhere. Berries, including blueberries, strawberries and even soft-skinned vegetables will be the most vulnerable to the flies, according to Jim Dill, a pest expert from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
This past September, the Asian fruit fly was spotted in the Berwick, Limington, Newcastle and Monmouth areas. The state has contacted pest control services to help control the population in these cities and prevent a more widespread infestation. Pest control services are working on a way to protect the crops from destruction, the source reported.
In 2011, Maine's blueberry harvest exceeded 80 million pounds and the crop value was about $190 million, with a statewide economic impact of more than $250 million. Therefore, allowing the fruit fly to thrive in Maine could seriously harm the local economy, the source reported.