Field Trapping Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae) with Select Eugenol Analogs That Have Been Found to Attract Other 'Non-Responsive' Fruit Fly Species.

Grant Mcquate,Jane Royer,Charmaine Sylva

doi:10.3390/insects9020050

Abstract

Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a pest fruit fly species native to Oriental Asia which has invaded and established in Hawaii and Tanzania and has been recovered in detection trapping in California. It is largely non-responsive to the male lures cuelure and methyl eugenol. Alpha-ionol + cade oil is a moderately effective male B. latifrons attractant, but is not as attractive as cuelure or methyl eugenol are to other fruit fly species. An improved attractant is therefore desired. With the recent success in finding other non-responsive fruit fly species attracted to isoeugenol, methyl-isoeugenol, or dihydroeugenol in Australia and other countries, we wanted to assess whether B. latifrons might also respond to these “eugenol analogs.” Working with wild B. latifrons populations in Hawaii, we assessed the relative catch of B. latifrons in traps baited with the eugenol analogs with catch in traps baited with alpha-ionol, alpha-ionol + cade oil, or alpha-ionol + eugenol. Catch was significantly higher in traps baited with alpha-ionol + cade oil relative to traps with any of the other baits. There was, though, some male B. latifrons catch in traps baited with dihydroeugenol or isoeugenol but none in traps baited with methyl-isoeugenol.

Highlights

The Dipteran family Tephritidae includes over 4900 “fruit fly” species in more than 500 genera and are found in all world regions except Antarctica
For B. latifrons, catch in traps baited with alpha-ionol + cade oil was significantly greater than in traps baited with alpha-ionol alone which was significantly greater than in traps baited with alpha-ionol + eugenol which was significantly greater than in traps baited with dihydroeugenol, isoeugenol or methyl-isoeugenol
No male B. latifrons were caught in any traps baited with methyl-isoeugenol throughout the entire test, though two female B. latifrons were caught at this lure

Summary

Introduction

The Dipteran family Tephritidae includes over 4900 “fruit fly” species in more than 500 genera and are found in all world regions except Antarctica. Many of these species are pests that affect local food production and horticultural trade [1,2]. In the tribe Dacini (subfamily Dacinae), less than half of all species are responsive to the male lures methyl eugenol or cuelure [3]. These are effective attractants which have considerable value for monitoring, control, and taxonomy [4].

Methods

Results

Conclusion