Comparison of oviposition behavior of wild- and laboratory-reared Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa

Authors: DWYER, MARY - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); Blanco, Monica; Yang, Xiangbing

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2023
Publication Date: 7/29/2023
Citation: Dwyer, M.C., Blanco, M., Yang, X. 2023. Comparison of oviposition behavior of wild- and laboratory-reared Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa. Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only

Technical Abstract: Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa, is a major pest for tropical fruits in Florida and many regions in Central America. To better understand the preference of ovipositional behavior of wild- and lab-reared A. suspensa, laboratory study was conducted to quantify the oviposition rates and fecundity of wild Caribbean fruit flies, Anastrepha suspensa, for both wild and lab flies. Wild A. suspensa were reared from field collected Surinam cherries, Eugenia uniflora, with adult mating pairs being placed into individual cages. Different oviposition sites were provided within each cage, consisting of a vertical, flat surface covered in yellow paraffin wax and a domed, green waxed surface, resembling that of an unripe guava fruit, Psidium guajava, a preferred host fruit for A. suspensa. Preliminary results showed that wild females deposited significantly more eggs on the domed, green structure, whereas the lab reared female A. suspensa deposited significantly more eggs on the a flat, yellow wax panel. It is speculated that the pre-imaginal effects of fruit-resembled dome structure may affect their oviposition behavior. While more study is needed to elucidate the mechanism behind this behavioral variation between wild and lab populations, current observations suggest that a green, domed surface enhanced the oviposition for wild A. suspensa female adults.