Three-dimensional versus rectangular sticky yellow traps for western cherry fruit fly (Diptera Tephritidae)

Authors: Yee, Wee

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2019
Publication Date: 4/16/2019
Citation: Yee, W.L. 2019. Three-dimensional versus rectangular sticky yellow traps for western cherry fruit fly (Diptera Tephritidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 112(4):1780-1788. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz092.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz092

Interpretive Summary: Western cherry fruit fly is a major quarantine pest of cherries in western North America that can be monitored using sticky yellow traps, but it is unclear which traps are best at detecting the fly. Personnel at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA determined the effectiveness of three-dimensional versus rectangle yellow traps for catching the fly. It was found that a cross trap made of thin yellow plastic was more effective than a similar cross trap made of a thicker yellow plastic and yellow rectangles. Further work showed that its effectiveness was due to its large surface area and possibly its shade of yellow. Results are important in that the new cross trap could be an effective option or addition to rectangles for monitoring the fly.

Technical Abstract: The most effective traps tested against western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae), have been the 644 cm2 Yellow Sticky Strip (YSS) rectangle made of styrene and the three-dimensional 1,310 cm2 yellow Rebell cross made of polypropylene. However, three-dimensional YSS styrene traps have never been tested against this or any other fruit fly. Here, a cross trap made of YSS styrene matching the shape/size of the Rebell cross was compared with the Rebell cross and with different size YSS rectangles to separate trap shape, possible color, and trap area effects on fly captures. The YSS cross caught more female and male flies than the Rebell cross and the YSS rectangle, but similar numbers of flies as a 1,287 cm2 YSS rectangle. In contrast, the Rebell cross caught more flies than a 1,310 cm2 rectangle made of Rebell panels. Further tests showed that 644 cm2 three-dimensional cylinder and tent traps were as effective as the YSS rectangle. Results suggest that the YSS cross was more effective than the Rebell cross and YSS rectangle due to its color and its larger size, respectively, and that when trap color is highly attractive, three-dimensional shape may be unimportant, whereas it could be when trap color is less attractive. A new trap modeled after the YSS cross, compact but with high trap surface area to increase fly captures, could be an effective option or addition to rectangles for monitoring R. indifferens.