Captures in Methyl Eugenol and Cue-Lure Detection Traps With and Without Insecticides and With a Farma Tech Solid Lure and Insecticide Dispenser

Abstract

Methyl eugenol (ME) and cue-lure (C-L) traps to detect tephritid flies on the U.S. mainland were tested with and without insecticides under Hawaiian weather conditions against small populations of oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), respectively. In comparative tests, standard Jackson traps with naled and the Hawaii fruit fly areawide pest management (AWPM) trap with 2,2-dichorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) insecticidal strips outperformed traps without an insecticide. Addition of the reduced risk insecticide spinosad did not increase trap capture significantly compared with Jackson traps without an insecticide. Captures in AWPM traps with DDVP compared favorably with those for the Jackson trap with liquid naled (the Florida standard). In subsequent tests, captures with solid Farma Tech wafer dispensers with ME or C-L and DDVP placed inside Jackson and AWPM traps were equal to those for a Jackson trap with naled, currently used for detection of ME and C-L responding fruit flies in Florida. Farma Tech ME and C-L wafers with DDVP would be more convenient and safer to handle than current liquid insecticide formulations (e.g., naled) used for detection programs in Florida.