Melon Fly vs Sugarcane Woolly Aphid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Melon Fly | Sugarcane Woolly Aphid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Zeugodacus cucurbitae | Ceratovacuna lanigera |
| Order | Diptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Tephritidae | Aphididae |
| Size | 6-8 mm | 1.5-2.5 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Fruit Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Hawaii | South Asia (India, particularly Maharashtra and Karnataka; also Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Did You Know?
Eradication of the melon fly from Okinawa was one of the most successful sterile insect programs in history.
Sugarcane Woolly Aphid
A small aphid covered in white woolly wax secretions that forms dense colonies on the undersides of sugarcane leaves. Heavy infestations reduce cane juice quality and sugar recovery in mills.
Did You Know?
A major outbreak of this pest devastated the Indian sugarcane crop in 2002-2004 before biological control with parasitoid wasps brought it under control.