【Background】 Bactrocera cucurbitae is an important pest of many fruits and vegetables. The spatio-temporal distribution of adult B. cucurbitae was investigated to explore the pattern of adults migrating back and forth between habitats. 【Method】 The research was undertaken from 17 Sept. to 8 Nov. 2013, in an agricultural field (6900 m2) planted with bitter gourd (34 m×19 m) at the experimental farm of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Baiyun District, Guangzhou. The activity of adult B. cucurbitae was monitored using green sticky traps. Geostatistical methods were used to characterize the spatio-temporal distribution of adults. 【Result】 There were two peaks of adults. Semivariograms could be described by a Gaussian model. Spatial patterns were aggregate in the investigated site. The range of spatial correlation was from 9.648 m to 65.580 m, with a high degree of spatical autocorrelation. 【Conclusion and signifinace】 The isoline maps created by the geostastical software surfer 10.0 with Kriging interpolation clearly reflected that adult B. cucurbitae were primarily concntrated inside the bitter gourd field. Only after reaching high densities did adults spread beyond the bitter gourd field.