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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Chemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #86361
Title: FIELD EVALUATION OF FEMALE-TARGETED TRAPPING SYSTEMS FOR CERATITIS CAPITATA(DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) IN SEVEN COUNTIES

Author
item Epsky, Nancy
item HENDRICKS, J. - IAEA, VIENNA
item KATSOYANNOS, B - GREECE
item ROS, J - SPAIN
item VASQUEZ, L - HONDURAS
item ZUMREOGLU, A - TURKEY
item PEREIRA, R - PORTUGAL
item BAKRI, A - MOROCCO
item SEEWOORUTHUN, S - MAURITIUS
item Heath, Robert

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The Mediterranean fruit fly is the most important pest of fruits and vegetables world wide. Because of the threat of this fruit fly, much emphasis has been placed on the development of 1) trapping systems for detection of and 2) biorational control measures such as sterile insect technology (SIT) for suppression of this pest. Previously, scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Research developed two and three component food-based synthetic chemical lures that can be used in female-targeted trapping systems for pest fruit flies. Field trials were conducted with scientists in Greece, Honduras, Mauritius, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Turkey under an International Atomic Energy Agency-funded Coordinated Research Program to develop female-targeted Mediterranean fruit fly trapping systems for practical use with SIT control and eradication programs. In all countries, traps baited with the three component food-based attractant captured an equal or greater number of female flies than liquid protein-baited traps and other female-targeted trapping systems. The results of this research will provide a significant improvement in our ability to detect Mediterranean fruit fly populations and will afford a critical component in the area-wide control of this pest.

Technical Abstract: Field trials were conducted in Greece, Honduras, Mauritius, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Turkey to compare captures of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), among several types of traps baited with female-targeted attractants. Most of the field trials were conducted in Citrus orchards, although tests were also conducted in other C. capitata hosts. C. capitata population levels, as indicated by average (SD) number of males captured in male-targeted trimedlure-baited Jackson traps, varied from 0.2 (0.10) - 54.4 (17.49) flies per trap per day. Female-targeted trapping systems included: food-based synthetic lures of ammonium acetate and putrescine alone (two component attractant) and in combination with trimethylamine (three component attractant) tested in either wet traps (with water) or dry traps (with pesticide or sticky insert); Frutect traps baited with proprietary liquid protein bait; and McPhail-type traps baited with an aqueous solution of NuLure and borax, which is the standard female-targeted trapping system for C. capitata. Traps baited with the three component attractant captured equal or greater numbers of flies than the McPhail-type traps baited with NuLure/borax solution and Frutect traps in 10 of the 11 field trials. In three of the trials with the lowest C. capitata population levels, traps baited with the three component attractant captured more flies than the trimedlure-baited Jackson traps. Females accounted for 48 - 90% of the total capture in the female-targeted trapping systems. Traps baited with the three component attractant were also more C. capitata specific than the other female-targeted trapping systems.