The black fig fly Silba adipata McAlpine (Diptera, Lonchaeidae), a little known fig pest in Montenegro.

On the Montenegrin seacoast, although there are suitable climatic and edaphic conditions for more important fig production, this fruit are grown extensively, mostly in backyards and small orchards, where chemical control has almost not been applied. Therefore, every season there are good conditions for development of already existing pests, and new or previously not enough known pests, as well. During end of August in 2004, in Lastva Grbaljska, in fig fruit (cultivar patlidžanka) several dipterean larvae were noticed. They were slightly smaller and tender than, already known, larvae of the meditteranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata, which has been, until than, the only known dipterean recognized as fig pest in Montenegro. After those larvae were examined in laboratory, it was noticed that posterior spiracles were different in comparison with C. capitata and formed pupae, as well. After adult emergence it was additionally confirmed the pest is black fig fly Silba adipata Mc Alpine (=Lonchaea aristella Beck.). During first half of July and second half of August in 2005 in Radanovic´i and Šušanj premature green fruit drop of cultivars rezavica and sušalica were noticed. After those fruits were examined in laboratory, presence of same larvae were noticed in majority of those, and damages of fruit tissue caused by larvae in form of brown galleries, as well. Round exit hole, formed by fully grown larva which already left the fruit, was also noticeable on majority of fallen fruits. Starting from the second half of August and during September in Lastva Grbaljska presence of larvae in semiripen and ripen fig fruits (cultivar patlidžanka) was noticed again. After fig fruits were sampled in period from half of July until half of September in 2006 and 2007 and examined, it was concluded that infestation of unripe figs was one of the main reasons for premature fruit drop. It was very noticable during July and first half of August for cultivars rezavica and sušalica. Premature fruit drop was not noticeably detected in green fig fruit cultivar patlidžanka. In this paper morphological characteristics of the species, importance of the pest, symptoms and intensity of attack are presented.