Mass Trapping of Fruit Flies Using Methyl Eugenol Based Traps

Abstract

Fruit flies belong to order Diptera with one of the largest, most diversified and fascinating acalypterate family Tephritidae. Fruit flies are of great economic importance as majority of them cause extensive damage to many fruits and vegetables and ruin more than 400 different fruit and vegetable crops including mango, guava, citrus, melon, papaya, peach, passion fruit, plum, apple and star fruit. Losses due to fruit flies occur due to decrease in production by direct damage on fruits and vegetables, increase in management cost and restricting free trade and movement of fruits from the countries of fruit fly prevalence to fruit fly free zones. Methyl eugenol, when used together with an insecticide impregnated into a suitable substrate, forms the basis of male annihilation technique and results in the reduction of male population of fruit flies to such a level that eradication and suppression is achieved.