Mediterranean fruit fly

noun

1. a small, black and white, irregularly banded two-winged fly, Ceratitis capitata, of many warm regions, that damages citrus and other succulent fruit crops by implanting eggs that hatch into maggots within the fruit.

Mediterranean fruit fly

noun

1. a species of dipterous fly, Ceratitis capitata, having marbled wings, whose maggots tunnel into fruits such as citrus, peach, and vine in the Mediterranean area, South Africa, and elsewhere: family Trypetidae Also calledmedfly

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mediterranean fruit fly¹

First recorded in 1905–10