Monitoring the flight activity of the carrot rust fly,Psila rosae,in New Zealand

Abstract

Abstract Flight activity of Psila rosae F. (Psilidae) was monitored with yellow sticky traps (Rebell®) in the North and South Islands of New Zealand over a 13‐month period in 1993/94. Three distinct periods of adult flight activity were observed, indicating three generations per year. At Lincoln (the South Island site), the first flies were caught in early October 1993 and the first flight peaked in mid‐late October, followed by a second peak in mid‐late January, and a third peak in mid March‐mid April. At Feilding (the North Island site), the peak catches of second and third generation flies were 10 and 22 days earlier than at Lincoln, respectively. In both islands, more female than male flies were captured in the first and second generation flight periods whereas more males than females were captured in the third generation.