Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #146606
Title: RASBERRY KETONE FORMATE AS AN ATTRACTANT FOR THE MELON FLY, (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Author
item Casana Giner, Victor
item Oliver, James
item Jang, Eric
item Carvalho, Lori
item Khrimian, Ashot
item Demilo, Albert
item McQuate, Grant

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2002
Publication Date: 1/20/2003
Citation: Casana Giner, V., Oliver, J.E., Jang, E.B., Carvalho, L.A., Khrimian, A., Demilo, A.B., Mcquate, G.T. 2003. Rasberry ketone formate as an attractant for the melon fly, (diptera: tephritidae). Journal of Entomological Science. 38: 120-126.

Interpretive Summary: Fruit flies such as the melon fly are serious pests of fruits and vegetables worldwide. The standard lure used in the detection of melon fly has been "cuelure" a strong male attractant for this species. Recently we discovered that a slight modification of the structure of this molecule resulted in an increase in attraction of male melon flies to traps. Our results suggest that this new lure (raspberry ketone formate) could be 1.5 ¿ 2 times as attractive as cuelure.

Technical Abstract: Cuelure, the acetate of raspberry ketone, has been the standard melon fly (Bactrocera curcurbitae) attractant for at least 40 years. A closely related compound, raspberry ketone formate, is somewhat more volatile and has been found to be at least 1.7 times more attractive to both sterile and wild melon flies in field tests conducted in Hawaii, consistently outperforming cuelure for periods exceeding one month.