Fruit fly pests in Hawaii are members of the Family Tephritidae in the Order Diptera. They came from as far away as Africa, as long ago as 1895, and feed on hundreds of host plants. Many of these plants are shared by more than one fly. The flies are widespread from sea level to mountainous areas (over 7,000 ft.). The melon fly is commonly found in low areas in commercial and backyard vegetable gardens. The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) moved away from most of the lowlands when the oriental fruit fly arrived in 1945.