A survey on the occurrence and flight periods of fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a fruit growing area in southwest Nicaragua, 1994/95

Abstract

AbstractMcPhail traps baited with hydrolysed protein and borax to trap mainly female fruit flies, Jackson traps baited with trimedlure to attract maleCeratitis capitataWiedemann, and Jackson traps baited with cuelure and methyl eugenol to trapBactroceraspp., were hung in fruit trees at 50 sites and serviced weekly from June, 1994 to March, 1995, over an area of 350 km2in Nicaragua. Samples of fruit were collected and kept separately to rear adult fruit flies and their hymenopterous parasitoids from known host plants. NoBactroceraspp. was trapped or reared from fruit at any site.Ceratitis capitatawas caught in high numbers in McPhail and Jackson traps at nearly all sites in the dry season, attacking coffee berries and fruit ofCitrusspecies.Toxotrypana curvicaudaGerstaecker was attracted to the food lure McPhail traps in low numbers and was widespread throughout the year, attacking papaya (Caricaceae). Of 29Anastrephaspecies known to occur south of Mexico and north of Panama, ten were found during the study, occurring mainly in the rainy season; only two of them were trapped frequently and reared from collected fruit.Anastrepha obliquaMacquart proved to be the second most abundant fruit fly species, with a population peak from June to October when its preferred host plantsMangifera indica, Spondias mombin(Anacardiaceae) andPsidium friedrichsthalianum(Myrtaceae) were ripening.Anastrepha striataSchiner, trapped at 45 sites, occurred from June to November, attackingP. friedrichsthalianumandP. guajava. Sampled fruit of a further eight species in seven families were not attacked by tephritid flies. Parasitism by introduced braconidDiachasmimorpha longicaudata(Ashmead) was very low (3.7% inC. capitata, 2.7% inA. obliquaand 5.3% inA. striata).