Evaluation of Traps for Apple Maggot (Diptera: Tephritidae) Populations Associated with Cherry and Hawthorn in Utah

Abstract

The effectiveness of various traps for apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) populations associated with cherry and hawthorn in Utah was investigated during the summers of 1987 and 1988. In cherry and hawthorn, unbaited Pherocon AM traps with an external ammonium carbonate lure were significantly better over the entire season than the standard Pherocon AM panels, red spheres (8.5 em diameter), and red spheres baited with the “Fein” blend of apple volatiles (a mixture of hexyl acetate, ( E )-2-hexen-l-yl acetate, butyl 2-methylbutanoate, propyl hexanoate, hexyl propanoate, butyl hexanoate, and hexyl butanoate in 35:2:8:12:5:28:10 ratio). In addition, the standard Pherocon AM traps caught more flies than the red sphere traps in cherry and hawthorn. Results between the two locations in 1987 and the single location in 1988 were similar, even though different host plants and population levels were sampled. In season-long and short-term studies, there were no apparent benefits associated with the use of either the single component butyl hexanoate lure or the full Fein blend of apple volatiles in conjunction with either red spheres or a Ladd trap (a yellow panel 28 by 21.6 cm with 8.5-cm red hemispheres attached to each side). Ladd traps with ammonium carbonate were the best traps under Utah conditions.