Sciencizing Black Currant Critters
Context:
If I learned anything from college, it was how to forage. Spring of 2013 I learned about the various locations on the Seattle University campus where edible plants are located and available for students to forage at their leisure. A hand drawn map is shown below. Naturally, I invited others in on this secret and foraged to my heart's desire. One evening in the summer of 2013 I went to the Columbia Orchard and grazed on fresh strawberries and a new treat- black currants. The following day I experienced unpleasant stomach pain and observed maggots in my excrement. I was so disturbed I went to the doctor, convinced that I had a parasite. The doctor was unconvinced and sent me home with stool softening medication.
If I learned anything from college, it was how to forage. Spring of 2013 I learned about the various locations on the Seattle University campus where edible plants are located and available for students to forage at their leisure. A hand drawn map is shown below. Naturally, I invited others in on this secret and foraged to my heart's desire. One evening in the summer of 2013 I went to the Columbia Orchard and grazed on fresh strawberries and a new treat- black currants. The following day I experienced unpleasant stomach pain and observed maggots in my excrement. I was so disturbed I went to the doctor, convinced that I had a parasite. The doctor was unconvinced and sent me home with stool softening medication.
My Interest:
A year later, the problem of maggots was still unresolved...until I returned to the bountiful foraging grounds at 14th Ave. and Columbia once more. After grazing on fresh blueberries and black currents, I took some home and washed them. I had the brilliant idea of checking inside the berries this time. Much to my despair, a maggot was surely living in a black currant! I then conducted research on black currant maggots and unveiled the source of this maggot problem. According to the Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook, this phenomenon is a part of the life cycle of the currant and gooseberry fruit.
A year later, the problem of maggots was still unresolved...until I returned to the bountiful foraging grounds at 14th Ave. and Columbia once more. After grazing on fresh blueberries and black currents, I took some home and washed them. I had the brilliant idea of checking inside the berries this time. Much to my despair, a maggot was surely living in a black currant! I then conducted research on black currant maggots and unveiled the source of this maggot problem. According to the Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook, this phenomenon is a part of the life cycle of the currant and gooseberry fruit.
In April, female currant fruit flies deposit oblong eggs under the skin of black currants. The larvae hatch and burrow into the fruit, feeding on the pulp and seeds. At maturity, these larval maggots either find their way into the mouths of sorry people (like me) or drop to the soil. While in the soil, the fruit flies overwinter as brown pupae before hatching as adults to produce a new generation the following year. The best management strategy for these pests is to cover the soil before adults emerge in April and remove all infested plants.
My Investigation:
I conducted a field study to determine if the black currant trees in the Columbia Orchard are truly infested with the currant fruit fly maggots. Materials: notebook & pencil (to record data) three black currant trees (planted in separate locations within the Columbia Orchard) Procedure: 1. Identify 10+ ripe black currants with red interior pulp on the first tree. Currants that are dried out or contain transparent pulp are not considered. 2. Open each ripe current one at a time with your nails and examine for maggots. 3. Record data in tally marks as either 'yes' or 'no' maggots for a total of 10 currants on tree # 1. 4. Repeat steps 1-3 for trees 2 and 3. |
Results:
My data shows that the black currant trees in the Columbia Orchard are infested with current fruit flies. Knowing this, these trees should either be removed or a sign shall be posted to inform fellow foragers of potentially ingesting unpleasant maggots if they eat these black currants.