Efficacies of Rhagoletis cerasi traps and ammonium lures for Western Cherry Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Authors: Yee, Wee

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2018
Publication Date: 5/1/2018
Citation: Yee, W.L. 2018. Efficacies of Rhagoletis cerasi traps and ammonium lures for Western Cherry Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae). Journal of Insect Science. 18(3):14. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey054.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey054

Interpretive Summary: Western cherry fruit fly is a quarantine pest of cherries in western North America that is best detected using Yellow Sticky Strip (YSS) rectangle traps. Recently, the European cherry fruit fly invaded eastern North America, prompting surveys for it in the West. Sticky crossed-panel yellow Rebell and cylindrical-type yellow PALz traps were developed for this fly, raising the question of efficacies of these traps versus the YSS against western cherry fruit fly. Personnel at USDA-ARS, Wapato, WA determined the efficacies of the YSS versus Rebell and PALz traps baited with ammonia against western cherry fruit fly. The Rebell and YSS traps caught similar numbers of flies and more than the PALz trap. This result is important because it shows that the Rebell trap could be used to monitor western cherry fruit fly and suggests that the PALz trap is better than the Rebell trap for surveys of European cherry fruit fly, as fewer western cherry fruit flies would clutter traps.

Technical Abstract: Western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a quarantine pest of cherries (Prunus spp.) in western North America that can be detected using sticky yellow rectangle traps. Recently, a related invasive fly from Europe and Asia, the European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.), was detected in eastern North America, prompting surveys for it in the West. Sticky crossed-panel yellow Rebell and cylindrical-type yellow PALz traps were developed for R. cerasi and are effective for monitoring it, raising the question of efficacies of three-dimensional versus rectangle traps against R. indifferens. Here, efficacies of the Yellow Sticky Strip (YSS) rectangle, thus far the best trap for R. indifferens, and Rebell and PALz traps with ammonia lures were determined for R. indifferens in Washington State, U.S.A. The Rebell and YSS traps caught similar numbers of R. indifferens and more than the PALz trap. Ammonium carbonate released more ammonia than ammonium acetate and attracted more R. indifferens to all three traps. The large surface area or shape of the Rebell trap was responsible for its high efficacy relative to the YSS. Results suggest that YSS and Rebell traps with ammonium carbonate would be equally useful for detecting R. indifferens, and that a crossed-sheet YSS trap could be even more efficacious than the YSS due to greater surface area. For R. cerasi detection surveys in Washington, the PALz trap would be preferred over the Rebell trap if they are equally efficacious against R. cerasi, as fewer R. indifferens would clutter traps.