Melon Fly vs Pine Shoot Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Melon Fly Pine Shoot Beetle
Scientific Name Zeugodacus cucurbitae Tomicus piniperda
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Tephritidae Curculionidae (Scolytinae)
Size 6-8 mm 3.5–5 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Fruit Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Hawaii Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Melon Fly

A reddish-yellow fruit fly that is a major pest of melons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits. It has spread from Asia to become invasive across tropical regions.

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Did You Know?

Eradication of the melon fly from Okinawa was one of the most successful sterile insect programs in history.

Pine Shoot Beetle

A bark beetle that breeds in pine logs and stumps, then feeds inside live pine shoots. It is an invasive pest in North America.

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Did You Know?

Adults hollow out the centers of pine shoots, causing them to break off in the wind and litter the forest floor.