Effect of Constant Temperature Environments on the Egg Stage of Three Species of Hawaiian Fruit Flies1

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Abstract
To facilitate the analysis and evaluation of data derived from an intensive bioclimatic study of three species of tephritid fruit flies in Hawaii (Flitters and Messenger 1953), information about the effects of constant temperatures upon the duration of development of the different stages of these insects is required. These tephritids, the oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel, the melon fly, D. cucurbitae Coq., and the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratilis capitata (Wied.), are tropical to subtropical in distribution, and a major factor in this distribution appears to be the temperature of their surroundings. These insects do not normally exist in the continental United States, and the Hawaiian bioclimatic studies had the objective of determining their potential distribution on the mainland should they ever gain entry and become established there. From that standpoint the effects of relatively extreme temperatures are needed, since such temperatures are encountered regularly in the climates of the continental United States. Winter temperatures frequently drop to near freezing, in those climatic sites studied, and fruit fly development and activity are interrupted thereby. Also summer conditions show occasional high temperatures at which development is suppressed and recovery reduced. Hence it is desirable to know the temperature thresholds and upper limits for development and the mortality relationships existing at such conditions.

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