Fruit Fly Research Articles

The anti-urolithiasis activity and safety of strangury-relieving herbs: A comparative study based on fruit fly kidney stone model

Ethnopharmacological relevanceUrolithiasis is one of the oldest and most widespread urological diseases suffered globally. In the long history of Traditional Chinese Medicine, there're numerous herbs documented with strangury-relieving properties playing crucial roles in treating various urological disorders, including dysuria, hematuria, and renal colic, etc., which may be caused by urolithiasis. Exploring these herbs may reveal safer, more effective, and cost-efficient drugs and therapies for urolithiasis. Aim of the studyThis study aims to assess the anti-urolithiasis efficacy and safety of 46 Chinese traditional and folk herbal drugs using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) kidney stone model, in order to identify the most valuable ethnomedicinal materials. Materials and methodsWater extract and 50% ethanol extract of each herb were prepared respectively. 0.2% (w/w) sodium oxalate was chosen as appropriate lithogenic agent through fruit fly life span study. Male fruit-flies within three days of emergence were aged for an additional three days, then were randomly divided into experimental groups, model group and control groups (n = 20). The flies in blank control group, model group and positive control group were fed with standard food, standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate, standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate and 3% (w/w) Garcinia cambogia extract, respectively. Meanwhile, flies in the experimental groups were raised on standard food containing 0.2% sodium oxalate and 3% (w/w) herbal extract. The anti-urolithiasis capability of the extracts was evaluated using stone area ratio (the stone area divided by the area of the Malpighian tubule) and stone-clearing rate. Additionally, the 7-day mortality rate was employed as an indicator of safety. ResultsOut of the 46 herbs, 24 exhibited significant anti-urolithiasis effects in their water extracts. Among them, Herba Nephrolepidis, Herba Humuli, Herba Desmodii Styracifolii, Cortex Plumeriae Rubrae, and Herba Mimosae Pudicae showed us a low 7-day mortality rate of fruit-flies as well. However, only a limited number of herbal extracts (8 out of 46) showed obvious anti-urolithiasis activity in their 50% ethanol extracts. ConclusionHighly potential anti-urolithiasis candidates were discovered from strangury-relieving herbs recorded in classical Traditional Chinese Medicine works, highlighting the significant value of traditional and folk ethnopharmacological knowledge.

Diversity of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Attracted by Methyl Eugenol in Carambola and Papaya Orchads in Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are among the significant pests in horticultural commodities. Methyl eugenol has been widely used for the detection, monitoring, and control of fruit fly worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the diversity of fruit flies attracted by methyl eugenol in carambola and papaya orchards in Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Fruit flies were collected using modified plastic bottle traps, which were transformed into the Steiner trap model and attracted by methyl eugenol. The traps were placed in two study sites: papaya and carambola orchards. The results showed that three species of fruit flies were captured using methyl eugenol in this study: B. dorsalis, B. umbrosa, and B. carambolae. The most predominant species were B. dorsalis (86.02%), followed by B. carambolae (11.26%), and B. umbrosa (2.72%). Bactrocera dorsalis was the dominant species at both study sites.

The toxicity assessment of phosmet on development, reproduction, and gene expression in Daphnia magna.

The use of pesticides to control pests, weeds, and diseases or to regulate plant growth is indispensable in agricultural production. However, the excessive use of these chemicals has led to significant concern about their potential negative impacts on health and the environment. Phosmet is one such pesticide that is commonly used on plants and animals against cold moth, aphids, mites, suckers, and fruit flies. Here, we investigated the effects of phosmet on a model organism, Daphnia magna using acute and chronic toxicity endpoints such as lethality, mobility, genotoxicity, reproduction, and gene expression. We performed survival experiments in six-well plates at seven different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 25, 50, 100 μM) as well as the control in three replicates. We observed statistically significant mortality rates at 25 µM and above upon 24 h of exposure, and at 1 µM and above following 48 h of exposure. Genotoxicity analysis, reproduction assay and qPCR analysis were carried out at concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 μM phosmet as these concentrations did not show any lethality. Comet assay showed that exposure to phosmet resulted in significant DNA damage in the cells. Interestingly, 0.1 μM phosmet produced more offspring per adult compared to the control group indicating a hormetic response. Gene expression profiles demonstrated several genes involved in different physiological pathways, including oxidative stress, detoxification, immune system, hypoxia and iron homeostasis. Taken together, our results indicate that phosmet has negative effects on Daphnia magna in a dose- and time-dependent manner and could also induce lethal and physiological toxicities to other aquatic organisms.

Repellent activity of Salix alba bark extract and guava oil-based formulation against the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Repellent activity of Salix alba bark extract and guava oil-based formulation against the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Comparative exploration of mammalian deafness gene homologues in the Drosophila auditory organ shows genetic correlation between insect and vertebrate hearing.

Johnston's organ, the Drosophila auditory organ, is anatomically very different from the mammalian organ of Corti. However, recent evidence indicates significant cellular and molecular similarities exist between vertebrate and invertebrate hearing, suggesting that Drosophila may be a useful platform to determine the function of the many mammalian deafness genes whose underlying biological mechanisms are poorly characterized. Our goal was a comprehensive screen of all known orthologues of mammalian deafness genes in the fruit fly to better understand conservation of hearing mechanisms between the insect and the fly and ultimately gain insight into human hereditary deafness. We used bioinformatic comparisons to screen previously reported human and mouse deafness genes and found that 156 of them have orthologues in Drosophila melanogaster. We used fluorescent imaging of T2A-GAL4 gene trap and GFP or YFP fluorescent protein trap lines for 54 of the Drosophila genes and found 38 to be expressed in different cell types in Johnston's organ. We phenotypically characterized the function of strong loss-of-function mutants in three genes expressed in Johnston's organ (Cad99C, Msp-300, and Koi) using a courtship assay and electrophysiological recordings of sound-evoked potentials. Cad99C and Koi were found to have significant courtship defects. However, when we tested these genes for electrophysiological defects in hearing response, we did not see a significant difference suggesting the courtship defects were not caused by hearing deficiencies. Furthermore, we used a UAS/RNAi approach to test the function of seven genes and found two additional genes, CG5921 and Myo10a, that gave a statistically significant delay in courtship but not in sound-evoked potentials. Our results suggest that many mammalian deafness genes have Drosophila homologues expressed in the Johnston's organ, but that their requirement for hearing may not necessarily be the same as in mammals.

Distribution analysis of TRH in Bactrocera dorsalis using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated reporter knock-in strain.

Although the study of many genes and their protein products is limited by the availability of high-quality antibodies, this problem could be solved by fusing a tag/reporter to an endogenous gene using a gene-editing approach. The type II bacterial CRISPR/Cas system has been demonstrated to be an efficient gene-targeting technology for many insects, including the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis. However, knocking in, an important editing method of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, has lagged in its application in insects. Here, we describe a highly efficient homology-directed genome editing system for B. dorsalis that incorporates coinjection of embryos with Cas9 protein, guide RNA and a short single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide donor. This one-step procedure generates flies carrying V5 tag (42 bp) in the BdorTRH gene. In insects, as in other invertebrates and in vertebrates, the neuronal tryptophan hydroxylase (TRH) gene encodes the rate-limiting enzyme for serotonin biosynthesis in the central nervous system. Using V5 monoclonal antibody, the distribution of TRH in B. dorsalis at different developmental stages was uncovered. Our results will facilitate the generation of insects carrying precise DNA inserts in endogenous genes and will lay foundation for the investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying the serotonin-mediated behaviour of B. dorsalis.

Variant functional assessment in Drosophila by overexpression: what can we learn?

The last decade has been highlighted by the increased use of next-generation DNA sequencing technology to identify novel human disease genes. A critical downstream part of this process is assigning function to a candidate gene variant. Functional studies in Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, have made a prominent contribution in annotating variant impact in an in vivo system. The use of patient-derived knock-in flies or rescue-based, "humanization", approaches are novel and valuable strategies in variant testing but have been recently widely reviewed. An often-overlooked strategy for determining variant impact has been GAL4/upstream activation sequence-mediated tissue-defined overexpression in Drosophila. This mini-review will summarize the recent contribution of ectopic overexpression of human reference and variant cDNA in Drosophila to assess variant function, interpret the consequence of the variant, and in some cases infer biological mechanisms.

Berries without Bugs: Recreational Foraging and a Fruit Fly Threat in Rural Michigan

Recreational foraging is an important cultural activity in the rural region of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. During the summer of 2019, an exploratory survey was conducted of foragers in the Keweenaw Peninsula area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to identify local knowledge of berries and a new invasive fruit fly, spotted wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii). SWD infests fruit before it is harvested, hastening ripening and potentially causing the fruit to spoil more quickly than might be expected. Research studying recreational foraging in the US has primarily focused on the study of urban areas. In addition, research studying SWD???s impact on berry production has largely focused on commercial cultivation rather than foraged harvesting in mixed woodlands. The majority of our respondents began picking berries in their youth and have continued throughout their life, emphasizing the importance of berry foraging within the local culture. Furthermore, many of the respondents confirmed that they pick berries as a cost-saving way to obtain healthy food, which could negatively be impacted by the fruits spoiling more quickly. In conclusion, most respondents were unfamiliar with SWD. Our findings suggest additional research studying the cultural and economic impacts of SWD is needed to inform adaptive foraging practices and SWD infestation prevention.

Multi-Objective Multi-Skill Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Considering Flexible Resource Profiles

This paper addresses a novel multi-skill resource-constrained project scheduling problem with flexible resource profiles (F-MSRCPSP), in which the resource allocation of each activity consists of a certain number of discrete resources and is allowed to be adjusted over its duration. The F-MSRCPSP aims, therefore, to determine the flexible resource profile of each activity to minimize the make-span and total cost simultaneously. Then, a hybrid multi-objective fruit fly optimization algorithm is proposed to handle the concerned problem. In the proposed algorithm, two flexible parallel and serial schedule generation schemes are introduced, aiming to schedule activities and adjust allocated resource combinations. Additionally, two heuristic strategies are proposed to effectively select suitable resource combinations for activities. Moreover, a series of operators has been developed, including the rejoining operator, empirical re-arrangement operator, and empirical re-selection operator. These operators aim to accelerate the convergence speed and enhance the exploration of the proposed algorithm. Finally, the orthogonal test is used to select the optimal parameter combination, and comparative experiments based on tests with different scales are conducted, along with a t-test. The experimental results demonstrate that MOFOA-HS is effective in solving the F-MSRCPSP.

Pelatihan Dan Pengembangan Resep Produk Minuman Jeruk Instan Guna Meningkatkan Perekonomian Masyarakat

Kucur Village is a tangerine producer in Malang Regency. However, people still sell it in fresh fruit form; besides that, the pest of fruit flies is also a scourge for farmers, and the absorption capacity in the market for fresh fruit is still relatively lower than the products produced. Processing oranges into secondary products can be a solution for farmers by processing tangerines. Ma Chung University's service aims to develop recipes for making instant powder drinks from tangerines to increase the tangerines' economic value. The method used is recipe development in the laboratory, which is practised in Kucur Village to find which recipe is most suitable and produce products for sale. The results of this service and the Kucur village community produced a recipe suitable for sale as an instant powder drink. The recipe for this instant powder drink contains an infusion of lemongrass stems, ginger, bay leaves, and lime.

Drosophila melanogaster Laboratory Rearing for Wolbachia-Based Control Programs, a Component of Dengue Control

Background: Drosophila melanogaster flies are smooth, low upkeep and safe model organisms, they can be effortless­ly used in different fields of life sciences like genomics, biotechnology, genetics, disease model, and Wolbachia-based approaches to fight vectors and the pathogens they transmit.
 Methods: Fruit fly specimens were collected in 25 districts (14 provinces) of Iran and their morphological recognition was proven by molecular analysis based on sequence homology of mitochondrial COI barcode region. Essential in­formation and specific requirements were provided for laboratory rearing of D. melanogaster.
 Results: Drosophila melanogaster colonies were found in 23 out of 25 districts. Also, five related species coincident with D. melanogaster were reported in this study including D. ananassae/D. parapallidosa, D. hydei, D. repleta, Zapri­onus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae), and Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae). The Iranian D. melanogaster mo­lecular signature and their rearing techniques have been described here. The complete life cycle, from (egg to adult), takes approximately 8 days at 25 °C. Some biological points have been presented with highlighting capturing, rearing, culturing, and embryo collection along with primitive recognition and segregation between females and males have been presented. A recipe for culture media and the quantity of various ingredients have been provided.
 Conclusion: This is the first report on the D. repleta and D. ananassae/D. parapallidosa species for the country. Re­sults of this study provide efficient and effective rearing procedures which are requirement for both small-scale for fa­cilitating entomological research and large-scale use in justifiable vector control management such as disease model or Dengue control.

Neuroprotective Effects of the Nutraceutical Dehydrozingerone and Its C2-Symmetric Dimer in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons responsible for unintended or uncontrollable movements. Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 locus contribute to genetic forms of PD. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster carrying this mutation (LRRK2-Dm) is an in vivo model of PD that develops motor impairment and stands for an eligible non-mammalian paradigm to test novel therapeutic approaches. Dehydrozingerone (DHZ) is a natural phenolic compound isolated from ginger and presents anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, making it a potential therapeutic target for PD. We administered DHZ and its C2-symmetric dimer (DHZ-DIM) at 0.5 and 1 mM for 14 and 21 days in the LRRK2-Dm, with the aim of assessing changes in rescuing motor behavior, brain dopaminergic neurons, mitochondria and synapses (T-bars). The shorter treatment with both molecules revealed efficacy at the higher dose, improving climbing behavior with a prevention of dopaminergic neuronal demise. After 21 days, a recovery of the motor disability, dopaminergic neuron loss, mitochondrial damage and T-bars failure was observed with the DHZ-DIM. Our data indicate that the DHZ-DIM exerts a more potent neuroprotective effect with respect to the monomer in LRRK2-Dm, prompting further investigation of these compounds in rodent models of PD.

Multivariate classification of multichannel long-term electrophysiology data identifies different sleep stages in fruit flies.

Identifying different sleep stages in humans and other mammals has traditionally relied on electroencephalograms. Such an approach is not feasible in certain animals such as invertebrates, although these animals could also be sleeping in stages. Here, we perform long-term multichannel local field potential recordings in the brains of behaving flies undergoing spontaneous sleep bouts. We acquired consistent spatial recordings of local field potentials across multiple flies, allowing us to compare brain activity across awake and sleep periods. Using machine learning, we uncover distinct temporal stages of sleep and explore the associated spatial and spectral features across the fly brain. Further, we analyze the electrophysiological correlates of microbehaviors associated with certain sleep stages. We confirm the existence of a distinct sleep stage associated with rhythmic proboscis extensions and show that spectral features of this sleep-related behavior differ significantly from those associated with the same behavior during wakefulness, indicating a dissociation between behavior and the brain states wherein these behaviors reside.

A comparison of adult population fluctuation of Anastrepha pest species between agricultural environments and protected natural areas in northeastern Mexico

AbstractFruit fly pestiferous species within the genus Anastrepha Schiner (Diptera: Tephritidae) affect fruit growing in northeastern Mexico, particularly citrus and mango production. Little is known about the population fluctuation of these pests in protected natural areas adjacent to agricultural environments. This study aimed to compare and analyse the temporal profiles of adult populations of Anastrepha pest species inhabiting agricultural zones and a protected natural area. Six years of adult capture data of Anastrepha ludens (Loew), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. striata Schiner and A. serpentina (Wiedemann) were compared and analysed between commercial orchards and fruit tree areas located in the buffer zone of the biosphere reserve “El Cielo”. The analyses were carried out for each of two triennial periods (2008–2010 and 2019–2021). Temporal patterns of the pest populations were characterized, and generalized linear mixed models were used for data analysis. All locations registered the four species, although Anastrepha ludens and A. obliqua represented the highest number of adult captures. Populations of pest species of Anastrepha showed similar fluctuation patterns throughout the year regardless of the location. However, significant differences in the population size were noted between the “El Cielo” reserve and commercial areas. The “El Cielo” reserve and its surroundings captured the highest population levels of the four species. Persistent populations of A. striata and A. serpentina were related to the area under ecological protection. The “El Cielo” reserve is a shelter for the pest species of Anastrepha, which are mainly linked to backyard hosts. We discuss the importance of these findings in the context of an Area‐Wide Integrated Pest Management approach and of studying fruit flies' quarantine pests in Mexico's neotropical limits. Practical implications in designing specific phytosanitary measures to suppress or control pest populations are addressed.

Sexual behaviour of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae): Do laboratory domestication conditions influence male courtship behaviour?

AbstractWe analysed the influence of laboratory domestication, under relaxed conditions, on the courtship behaviour of the fruit fly species Anastrepha obliqua, an important agricultural pest. We compared the temporal patterns of pheromone emission (Calling behaviour) and the frequencies and sequences of the courtship behavioural units of males of a laboratory lineage and a wild lineage. Our results indicated similarities in the temporal behavioural patterns of calling, the durations of their behavioural sequences, the final sequences of courtships resulting in copulation, of wild and laboratory males. Differences, however, were observed between the two populations in terms of the frequencies of the behavioural units executed and the initial sequence of courtship. Differences were noted in the presence or absence of some behavioural units within the courtship behavioural repertoires of the laboratory‐reared and wild. The wild males did not show units such as Alignment, Contact, Fighting and Marking Leaf that were observed in the laboratory males' courtship behaviour under laboratory conditions; on the other hand, laboratory males did not show the Abdominal movements and Oscillation observed in the courtship behaviour of wild males. The rearing of A. obliqua males under relaxed conditions in the laboratory provides an environment adequate for the preservation of behavioural characteristics relevant to the successful mating, such as Movement, Arrowhead 1, and Attempt, and in temporal patterns of pheromone emission.

A spatio-temporal modelling approach to understand the effect of urban fruit fly outbreaks on peri-urban orchards

Urban areas are well-known sources of fruit fly introduction and unmanaged populations pose a high risk of dispersal to surrounding agricultural areas. Although management of urban fruit fly populations is recognised as being important for area-wide control programmes, its relative importance is rarely quantified. Identifying possible sources of fruit fly populations is important to the success of area-wide programs, as well as to on-farm management. We developed a modelling approach to analyse the spatio-temporal connectivity of fruit fly across urban-agriculture boundaries. For a case study, we examine Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, outbreaks in two fruit growing regions in south-west Western Australia. Connectivity between population sources was defined using a dispersal kernel and routinely collected surveillance data from traps located across urban and agricultural areas. Spatio-temporal Bayesian models were then developed to quantify the extent to which unmanaged urban populations contribute to commercial orchards across each region. Our model results from two fruit growing regions indicate that population connectivity is a strong predictor of urban and commercial orchard Mediterranean fruit fly density. Models demonstrate that unmanaged urban outbreaks can contribute to increased pest pressure in surrounding orchards up to 2 km, but the urban contribution quickly declines over this distance. We also demonstrated that our models provide a means of predicting changes in Mediterranean fruit fly density across a region. Regional scale inference from our models may be particularly useful for sites where surveillance trapping data is unavailable. With an increasing risk of fruit fly incursions from expanding urban areas into agricultural regions, it is important to understand the processes driving population connectivity to target pest management strategies. By modelling surveillance trapping data and population connectivity, we can quantify how unmanaged urban pest infestations can contribute to pest pressure in nearby commercial orchards. Such information can help pest managers quantify the risk posed by unmanaged urban infestations when designing and implementing area-wide management.

A mechanism for tuning proprioception proposed by research in Drosophila and mammals

Proprioception provides important sensory feedback regarding the position of an animal’s body and limbs in space. This interacts with a central pattern generator responsible for rhythmic movement, to adapt locomotion to the demands that an animal’s environment places on it. The mechanisms by which this feedback is enabled are poorly understood, which belies its importance: dysfunctional proprioception is associated with movement disorder and improving it can help reduce the severity of symptoms. Similarly, proprioception is important for guiding accurate robotic movement and for understanding how sensory systems capture and process information to guide action selection. It is therefore important to interpret research that investigates mechanisms of proprioception, to ask: what type of information do proprioceptive sensors capture, and how do they capture it? Work in mammalian models has made important progress towards answering this question. So too, has research conducted Drosophila. Fruit fly proprioceptors are more accessible than mammalian equivalents and can be manipulated using a unique genetic toolkit, so experiments conducted in the invertebrate can make a significant contribution to overall understanding. It can be difficult, however, to relate work conducted in different models, to draw general conclusions about proprioception. This review, therefore, explores what research in the fruit fly has revealed about proprioceptor function, to highlight its potential translation to mammals. Specifically, the present text presents evidence that differential expression of mechanoelectrical transducers contributes to tuning of fly proprioceptors and suggests that the same mechanism may play a role in tuning mammalian proprioceptors.

Ageing-dependent thiol oxidation reveals early oxidation of proteins with core proteostasis functions.

Oxidative post-translational modifications of protein thiols are well recognized as a readily occurring alteration of proteins, which can modify their function and thus control cellular processes. The development of techniques enabling the site-specific assessment of protein thiol oxidation on a proteome-wide scale significantly expanded the number of known oxidation-sensitive protein thiols. However, lacking behind are large-scale data on the redox state of proteins during ageing, a physiological process accompanied by increased levels of endogenous oxidants. Here, we present the landscape of protein thiol oxidation in chronologically aged wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a time-dependent manner. Our data determine early-oxidation targets in key biological processes governing the de novo production of proteins, protein folding, and degradation, and indicate a hierarchy of cellular responses affected by a reversible redox modification. Comparison with existing datasets in yeast, nematode, fruit fly, and mouse reveals the evolutionary conservation of these oxidation targets. To facilitate accessibility, we integrated the cross-species comparison into the newly developed OxiAge Database.

Loss of the endoplasmic reticulum protein Tmem208 affects cell polarity, development, and viability

Nascent proteins destined for the cell membrane and the secretory pathway are targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) either posttranslationally or cotranslationally. The signal-independent pathway, containing the protein TMEM208, is one of three pathways that facilitates the translocation of nascent proteins into the ER. The in vivo function of this protein is ill characterized in multicellular organisms. Here, we generated a CRISPR-induced null allele of the fruit fly ortholog CG8320/Tmem208 by replacing the gene with the Kozak-GAL4 sequence. We show that Tmem208 is broadly expressed in flies and that its loss causes lethality, although a few short-lived flies eclose. These animals exhibit wing and eye developmental defects consistent with impaired cell polarity and display mild ER stress. Tmem208 physically interacts with Frizzled (Fz), a planar cell polarity (PCP) receptor, and is required to maintain proper levels of Fz. Moreover, we identified a child with compound heterozygous variants in TMEM208 who presents with developmental delay, skeletal abnormalities, multiple hair whorls, cardiac, and neurological issues, symptoms that are associated with PCP defects in mice and humans. Additionally, fibroblasts of the proband display mild ER stress. Expression of the reference human TMEM208 in flies fully rescues the loss of Tmem208, and the two proband-specific variants fail to rescue, suggesting that they are loss-of-function alleles. In summary, our study uncovers a role of TMEM208 in development, shedding light on its significance in ER homeostasis and cell polarity.

Attractancy of a Sesquiterpene, β-caryophyllene to Males of the Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The recent discovery of a sesquiterpene, β-caryophyllene (CP) as a male attractant of the guava fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) prompted investigations into the attractancy of CP to the Oriental fruit fly, B. dorsalis (Hendel). This is because males of both species of fruit flies are attracted to, and feed on a phenylpropanoid compound, methyl eugenol (ME). Although CP was a more potent attractant than ME for B. correcta, it is not known if males of B. dorsalis are also attracted to CP. The possible attraction of B. dorsalis to CP as a sesquiterpene may indicate its wide host range through its attraction to different groups of plant volatiles i.e., phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes. In this paper, we report that males of B. dorsalis were also attracted to, and feed on CP. Subsequently, we conducted a probit regression analysis to determine the quantal response of sexually mature male flies that were attracted to CP in cage bioassays. Therefore, as a measure of male B. dorsalis' sensitivity of CP, the median dose of CP required to elicit a positive response in 50% of the tested B. dorsalis population (ED50) was calculated as 3.7mg. This value was over 10,000x higher than known ED50 of B. dorsalis' male attraction ME (between 171 and 268 ng). We propose that the attraction of male B. dorsalis flies to CP was much weaker than to ME. Further, we suggest that in any fruit fly surveillance and monitoring programme, application of lures must consider the specificity and potency of each compound to target fruit fly species. The probit regression analysis of male fly quantal response to lure offers such information.