Rhagoletis pomonella

Photo Credit: © Stuart Tingley via iNaturalist.org. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
Rhagoletis pomonella
Common Name: apple maggot
Animal Guild: Insect
Class > Order > Family: Insecta > Diptera > Tephritidae
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see/hear...?
Activity Adults
One or more adults are seen or heard moving about or at rest.
More...

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Adults feeding
One or more adults are seen feeding with their straw-like tongue (proboscis). If possible, record the substance and species on which they are feeding (for example, nectar, sap, dung, or moist soil) in the comments field. For Rhagoletis pomonella, adults feed on the sticky liquid (honeydew) left on leaves and stems by plant-sucking insects.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Reproduction Mating
A male and female are seen coupled in a mating position, usually one on top of the other or end to end.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Egg laying
A female is seen laying eggs. If possible, record the name of the species or substance on which the eggs are being deposited or describe it in the comments field. For Rhagoletis pomonella, eggs are deposited in tiny punctures in the skin of a fruit.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Development Larvae
One or more larvae are seen moving about or at rest. For Rhagoletis pomonella, larvae are short, white worms (maggots) with no distinct head capsules. They are found inside fleshy fruits, like apples, cherries or hawthorn fruits.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Larvae feeding
One or more larvae are seen feeding. If possible, record the name of the species or substance being eaten or describe it in the comments field. For Rhagoletis pomonella, a larva found in a fruit can be assumed to be feeding on that fruit.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Dead adults
One or more dead adults are seen.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Dead larvae
One or more dead larvae are seen.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Method Individuals in a trap
One or more individuals are seen caught in a trap.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
What do these phenophases look like?

The following Phenophase Photo Guides for this species have been vetted for accuracy by the USA-NPN National Coordinating Office. Most photo guides are developed for a particular local or regional monitoring effort, and some of the content may not apply to your effort or your region. However, we make them available to provide as much help as they may in illustrating phenophases for this species. If you have high quality phenophase photos that you are willing to share with us, please visit the Phenophase Photo Guidelines page.

Be aware there is variation from individual to individual within a species, especially across different regions, so your plant may not look exactly like the one pictured.

Since they do not always include complete definitions for the species, use these photo guides ONLY in conjunction with the official Nature's Notebook phenophase defintions included in the table above, in the phenophase definition sheet that downloads with the datasheet, or in the Observe screen in the mobile app.