Biological Control Introductions Against Invasive Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the US: Achievements, Opportunities, and Challenges

Authors: Wang, Xingeng; RAMADAN, MOHSEN - State Of Hawaii; Hoelmer, Kim

Submitted to: Management of fruit flies in the Americas
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2023
Publication Date: 3/19/2024
Citation: Wang, X., Ramadan, M.M., Hoelmer, K.A. 2024. Biological Control Introductions Against Invasive Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the US: Achievements, Opportunities, and Challenges. Management of fruit flies in the Americas. 461–499. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48608-1_17.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48608-1_17

Interpretive Summary: Fruit flies are among the most destructive pests of fruit and vegetable crops worldwide. Biological control by using parasitic wasps has been an effective management strategy for control of invasive fruit flies. Although past efforts of biological control of fruit fly pests have achieved partial success in Hawaii, California and Florida, the adoption and implementation of biological control still has great potential to improve fly management in the US. We highlight major achievements of biological control of fruit fly pests using parasitic wasps in the U.S. and discuss new opportunities and challenges for future biological control introduction against fruit fly pests in the U.S. and globally.

Technical Abstract: Biological control introductions are among the safest, most environmentally benign, and cost-effective methods for sustainable and landscape-level management of invasive pests. Frugivorous tephritids are among the most diverse and economically important horticulture pests worldwide. The prominent groups of tephritid pests in the US are invasive species of Afrotropical, Oriental, or Neotropical origin in the genera Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis and Zeugodacus, as well as North American native Rhagoletis. In this chapter, we review and highlight major achievements of biological control of tephritid pests in the US, especially for major invasive pests in Hawaii (melon fly, Mediterranean fruit fly, oriental fruit fly and solanaceous fruit fly), California (olive fruit fly), Florida (Caribbean fruit fly), as well as cherry fruit flies in the mainland of US. We discuss current opportunities for biological control of the Mediterranean fruit fly, the melon fly, the olive fruit fly and the solanaceous fruit fly, as well as some challenges for classical biological control (e.g., regulation issues, ecological factors, climatic changes). We hope to stimulate new interests, ideas, and future research directions to improve biological control of tephritid pests in the US and globally.