About Rhagoletis pomonella

The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella), also known as the railroad worm, is a species of fruit fly, and a pest of several types of fruits, especially apples. This species evolved about 150 years ago through a sympatric shift from the native host hawthorn to the domesticated apple species Malus domestica in the northeastern United States. This fly is believed to have been accidentally spread to the western United States from the endemic eastern United States region through contaminated apples at multiple points throughout the 20th century. The apple maggot uses Batesian mimicry as a method of defense, with coloration resembling that of the forelegs and pedipalps of a jumping spider.

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Taxonomy ID 28610

(Text from Wikipedia.)

More information General information about this species can be found in Wikipedia

Taxonomy ID 28610

Data source Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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