Fruit Fly Species Research Articles

Biological control of fruit flies: bibliometric analysis on the main biocontrol agents

The Tephritidae family has many fruit fly species responsible for causing direct and indirect damage to economically important fruit trees worldwide. Biological control has been sought as a method for the management of these insects, mainly because it does not cause adverse damage to the environment. Thus, this review sought information on what is currently being published in the scientific field about the main biological agents that are used to control fruit flies. The information was obtained through surveys between the months of June and August 2020, in bases such as the Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and Scielo. The inclusion of the articles followed criteria such as publication language English, Portuguese and Spanish, available in full, from categories A1 to B1, related to the biological agents used in the control of fruit flies and published in the last five years. A total of 2,362 studies were found, of which 105 articles were selected for this review. Regarding the years of publication, only 27% of the studies correspond to references from the years 2019 and 2020, with a greater number of research on parasitoids and developed in the laboratory. The largest concentration of research was in countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Spain.

Parasitism potential of Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on pupae of the fruit fly species, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) and Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), during variable exposure durations

BackgroundFruit flies are important insect pests of horticultural crops. Pesticides used to control them which cause environmental and health hazards; therefore, other alternative sustainable management measures are required.Main bodySuccessful implementation of an integrated pest management program, using biological control agents, needs synchronization of parasitoids with hosts selection and exposure time. The present study was conducted to assess the biological activity of the parasitoid species, Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), against the melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), and the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), at different exposure durations (24, 48, and 72 h). The experiments were conducted under standard laboratory conditions. Significant differences in the parasitism rate of D. giffardii were observed for both species at different exposure durations. The maximum parasitism rate of D. giffardii (52.60 ± 2.84%) and (42.73 ± 2.74%) was observed at 48-h exposure period for Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis, respectively. Also, a comparison between both species showed a difference in parasitism rate at 24 and 48 h and a positive correlation between percent parasitism and exposure duration. Adult emergence of D. giffardii showed a maximum emergence rate from pupae of Z. cucurbitae (63.55 ± 4.02%) and B. dorsalis (51.61 ± 2.33%) at 10 days interval, respectively. However, the daily emergence of the parasitoid was not correlated to exposure duration in both species. The results of the present study may serve in the mass rearing of D. giffardii.ConclusionThe biological activity of D. giffardii was maximum at 48 h of exposure for both fruit fly species, and this important information may improve the mass rearing technology of D. giffardii.

Anatomical and histochemical descriptions of the male reproductive system of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmed) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

ABSTRACT The parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata is an important control agent for several species of fruit flies. Research on the characteristics of the reproductive system and reproductive biology of this parasitoid can be valuable for studies in taxonomy and phylogeny of insects of the order Hymenoptera. In this study we analyzed the histology and histochemistry of the male reproductive system of D. longicaudata. In this species the male reproductive system consists of a pair of testes, two accessory glands, and an ejaculatory duct. Each testicle consists of only one follicle. The testicular follicles are filled with cysts in different stages of spermatogenesis. Histochemical analyses detected proteins and carbohydrates in the cytoplasm of secretory cells and in the lumen of accessory glands. The morphology of the male reproductive system of D. longicaudata differs in some respects from other species of Hymenoptera.

BIODIVERSITY AND POPULATION DISTRIBUTION OF FRUIT FLY (Diptera: Tephritidae) IN DOMESTIC ORCHARDS OF PARAÍBA STATE, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to characterize, through faunistic indices, the populations of fruit flies in the Brejo Paraibano microregion and analyze whether these populations are similar to one another. The study was conducted in eight municipalities located in the Agreste Paraibano mesoregion and Brejo Paraibano microregion, Paraíba state, Brazil, where two rural properties of each municipality were selected, georeferenced and identified according to the diversity criterion of fruit species. Each municipality was assumed to have a population of fruit flies with its own characteristics, determined by the faunistic indices of frequency, constancy, dominance, Shannon-Wiener and Margalef diversity indices, as well as evenness. 3.159 specimens of fruit flies were captured, of which 85.57% belonged to the genus Anastrepha and 14.43% to the genus Ceratitis. 11 species of fruit flies were captured in the traps. Anastrepha fraterculus was the most frequent, dominant and constant species, being present in all locations; followed by A. obliqua, A. sororcula and Ceratitis capitata. The studied municipalities have a similarity of 54%, which indicates a high similarity between the areas. Most species captured in the present study occur at low population frequency.

Diversity, damage and seasonal abundance of fruit fly species (diptera: tephritidae) associated with citrus crops in Western Burkina Faso

Diversity, damage and seasonal abundance of fruit fly species (diptera: tephritidae) associated with citrus crops in Western Burkina Faso

DIVERSITY OF FRUIT FLIES (TEPHRITIDAE: BACTROCERA SPP.) IN CAMPUS C OF AIRLANGGA UNIVERSITY, SURABAYA, INDONESIA

This research aims to get information about the species of host plants and fruit flies, composition and structure of community, distribution pattern, and impact of environmental factors to fruit flies in Campus C, Airlangga University. Research was conducted from August to November 2019. A modification of Steiner trap with methyl eugenol 1.5 ml bait was installed in nine sites. Each Steiner trap was placed on a mango tree 1-2 meters above ground level. Trapped fruit fly specimens were collected after one week. Four replications were made, with intervals between two periods of installation. As many as 682 host plants of the fruit flies were found at the study site consisting of 25 species from 15 families. Results showed that 1121 individuals of Bactrocera fruit flies were found, consisting of 6 species, namely B. carambolae, B. dorsalis, B. minuscula, B. papayae, B. occipitalis, and B. musae. The most abundant species was B. carambolae (62.8%), followed by B. dorsalis (22.8%), B. minuscula (8.4%), B. papayae (4.5%), B. occipitalis (1%), and the lowest was B. musae (0.5%). B. occipitalis has an even distribution pattern, while five other species have aggregated distribution patterns. The diversity index at nine locations ranged from 0.855 (low) to 1.328 (moderate). B. carambolae and B. dorsalis were the dominant species. The presence of fruit flies was influenced by environmental (humidity, temperature, sunlight intensity, wind) and host plant factors.

Digest: Male courting prompts female fly remating-The evolution of polyandry.

Does a male courting behavior proximately cause polyandry in a fruit fly species? Minekawa etal. found that in Drosophila prolongata, male flies vibrate their legs to overcome female remating suppression, resulting in multiple matings for females that otherwise may have remained monandrous.

Tritrophic interactions between fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae), their hosts and parasitoids in the main fruit production regions of Uruguay

Fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause severe damage to fruit production in Uruguay. Understanding the tritrophic interactions between Tephritidae, their hosts and their natural enemies, as well as determining the volatile compounds that mediate these interactions, would provide knowledge to manage this group. The objectives of this thesis were to prospect the species of fruit flies present in the country, their parasitoids, and the establishment of hosts. Also, to determine the population fluctuation of C. capitata and A. fraterculus. Finally, to study the trophic interactions of fruit flies and its native hosts, to identify the volatiles produced by native host and their role as host location chemical cues. To do this, McPhail traps and fruit collections carried out in native and productive ecosystems in northern and southern Uruguay. The volatile compounds that mediate the interactions in a native system A. fraterculus and two hosts, Acca sellowiana and Psidium cattleianum, were also studied. As part of the results, new fruit fly species were registered: Anastrepha dissimilis, Anastrepha nigra, Anastrepha australis, Anastrepha littoralis, Neosilba pradoi and Diasiopos frieseni and the parasitoids Opius bellus, Utetes anastrephae, Doryctobracon areolatus and Doryctobracon brasiliensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Ceratitis performs best in disturbed agroecosystems while A. fraterculus adapts better to ecosystems with little anthropogenic intervention. The immature and mature fruits of A. sellowiana and P. cattleianum showed differences in their volatile profiles, and they were attractive to mated females of A. fraterculus. This suggests that volatile organic compounds may be a reliable host location signal for the insect, with potential use as attractant for the management of this species.

Distinctive egg-laying patterns in terminal versus non-terminal periods in three fruit fly species.

The specific objective of this study was to use a logistic regression model for determining the degree to which egg laying patterns of individual females at the end of life (i.e., terminal segments) in each of three different fruit fly species could be distinguished from the egg-laying patterns over a similar period in midlife (i.e., non-terminal segments). Extracting data from large-scale databases for 11-day terminal and 11-day non-terminal segments in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster), the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens) and the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and organizing the model's results in a 2×2 contingency table, we found that: (1) daily egg-laying patterns in fruit flies can be used to distinguish terminal from non-terminal periods; (2) the overall performance metrics such as precision, accuracy, false positives and true negatives depended heavily on species; (3) differentiating between terminal and non-terminal segments is more difficult when flies die at younger ages; and (4) among the three species the best performing metrics including accuracy and precision were those produced using data on D. melanogaster. We conclude that, although the reliability of the prediction of whether a segment occurred at the end of life is relatively high for most species, it does not follow precisely predicting remaining life will also be highly reliable since classifying an end of life period is a fundamentally different challenge than is predicting an exact day of death.

Keanekaragaman dan pola keberadaan lalat buah (Diptera: Tephritidae) di Provinsi Sumatera Selatan

Lalat buah menyerang sebagian besar tanaman buah sayuran maupun buah konsumsi. Gejala kerusakan berupa pembusukan pada buah yang menyebabkan gugurnya buah. Data tentang keanekaragaman spesies lalat buah di Sumatera Selatan dan pola keberadaannya belum banyak dilaporkan. Tujuan penelitian untuk mempelajari keanekaragaman dan pola keberadaan lalat buah berdasarkan inang dan perangkap. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan metode survei di 9 kota dan kabupaten di Provinsi Sumatera Selatan. Lalat buah dikoleksi dengan cara mengumpulkan buah yang terserang dan menggunakan perangkap yang mengandung metil eugenol (ME) dan cue lure (CL). Jenis tanaman yang diamati sebanyak 24 jenis, meliputi tanaman buah, sayur dan buah konsumsi. Identifikasi lalat buah dilakukan dengan mengamati karakteristik morfologi luar. Hasil identifikasi lalat buah diperoleh sebanyak 18 spesies dengan perincian 10 spesies dari perangkap CL dan 7 spesies dari perangkap ME. Satu spesies (Bactrocera latrifons) tidak dapat diperangkap baik dengan CL maupun ME. Dari sejumlah 18 spesies tersebut, 7 di antaranya diperoleh dari koleksi buah, yaitu B. albistrigata, B. carambolae, B. fuscitibia, B. occipitalis, B. latrifons, B. papayae, dan Bactrocera sp. Jenis atraktan mempengaruhi keanekaragaman spesies dan jumlah lalat buah yang tertangkap. B. latifrons hanya ditemukan pada pemeliharaan buah koleksi saja. Ketinggian lokasi daerah pengamatan, mempengaruhi keanekaragaman lalat buah. Semua spesies ditemukan di dataran rendah, kecuali B. ascitus, B. cilifera, dan B. latrifons. Di dataran sedang dan tinggi, jumlah spesies lalat buah yang ditemukan lebih sedikit dibandingkan dengan di dataran rendah.

Survey of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) from 23 Species of Fruits Collected in Sleman, Yogyakarta

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are major pests of fruits and vegetables in many countries, including Indonesia. Knowledge of the fruit fly host range in a specific area is an important part of the area-wide pest management program to reduce the pest problem. The aim of this study was to extend and update the information on the host range of fruit flies in the Regency of Sleman, Yogyakarta. This area is one of the centers of fruit production, particularly snake fruit in Indonesia. Fruit sampling was conducted from August 2019 to February 2020 in four sub-districts in Sleman consisting of different types of agro-ecosystems. Fruit rearing was carried out in the laboratory followed by identification of the fruit and fruit flies that emerged to species level. From the 23 species of fruits belonging to 14 different families that were collected, the following 6 species of fruit flies emerged: Bactrocera dorsalis, B. carambolae, B. umbrosa, B. albistrigata, B. mcgregori, and Zeugodacus cucurbitae. Bactrocera dorsalis and B. carambolae utilized the widest range of hosts, 12 and 11 species of fruits, respectively. Syzygium cumini, Malpighia emarginata, and Phaleria macrocarpa were recorded for the first time as new hosts of B. carambolae in Indonesia. Additional data of B. dorsalis and B. carambolae infesting salak cv. pondoh is also reported.

Development and characterization of a pupal-colour based genetic sexing strain of Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1 (Diptera: Tephritidae)

BackgroundArea-wide integrated pest management programs (AW-IPM) incorporating sterile insect technique (SIT) have been successful in suppressing populations of different fruit fly species during the last six decades. In addition, the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS) for different fruit fly species has allowed for sterile male-only releases and has significantly improved the efficacy and cost effectiveness of the SIT applications. The South American Fruit Fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major agricultural pest attacking several fruit commodities. This impedes international trade and has a significant negative impact on the local economies. Given the importance of sterile male-only releases, the development of a GSS for A. fraterculus would facilitate the implementation of an efficient and cost-effective SIT operational program against this insect pest species.ResultsFor potential use in a GSS, three new morphological markers (mutants) were isolated in a laboratory strain of A. fraterculus sp. 1, including the black pupae (bp) gene located on chromosome VI. The black pupa phenotype was used as a selectable marker to develop genetic sexing strains by linking the wild type allele (bp+) to the Y-chromosome -via irradiation to induce a reciprocal Y-autosome translocation. Four GSS were established and one of them, namely GSS-89, showed the best genetic stability and the highest fertility. This strain was selected for further characterization and cytogenetic analysis.ConclusionsWe herein report the development of the first genetic sexing strain of a major agricultural pest, A. fraterculus sp. 1, using as a selectable marker the black pupae genetic locus.

Geographic distribution of sex chromosome polymorphism in Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1 from Argentina

BackgroundAnastrepha fraterculus is recognized as a quarantine pest in several American countries. This fruit fly species is native to the American continent and distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It has been reported as a complex of cryptic species, and at least eight morphotypes have been described. Only one entity of this complex, formerly named Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1, is present in Argentina. Previous cytogenetic studies on this morphotype described the presence of sex chromosome variation identified by chromosomal size and staining patterns. In this work, we expanded the cytological study of this morphotype by analyzing laboratory strains and wild populations to provide information about the frequency and geographic distribution of these sex chromosome variants. We analyzed the mitotic metaphases of individuals from four laboratory strains and five wild populations from the main fruit-producing areas of Argentina, including the northwest (Tucumán and La Rioja), northeast (Entre Ríos and Misiones), and center (Buenos Aires) of the country.ResultsIn wild samples, we observed a high frequency of X1X1 (0.94) and X1Y5 (0.93) karyomorphs, whereas X1X2 and X1Y6 were exclusively found at a low frequency in Buenos Aires (0.07 and 0.13, respectively), Entre Ríos (0.16 and 0.14, respectively) and Tucumán (0.03 and 0.04, respectively). X2X2 and X2Y5 karyomorphs were not found in wild populations but were detected at a low frequency in laboratory strains. In fact, karyomorph frequencies differed between wild populations and laboratory strains. No significant differences among A. fraterculus wild populations were evidenced in either karyotypic or chromosomal frequencies. However, a significant correlation was observed between Y5 chromosomal frequency and latitude.ConclusionsWe discuss the importance of cytogenetics to understand the possible route of invasion and dispersion of this pest in Argentina and the evolutionary forces acting under laboratory conditions, possibly driving changes in the chromosomal frequencies. Our findings provide deep and integral genetic knowledge of this species, which has become of relevance to the characterization and selection of valuable A. fraterculus sp. 1 strains for mass rearing production and SIT implementation.

Ovipositional Behaviour of Two Fruit Flies, Ceratitis capitata and Anastrepha fraterculus, in Seven Fruit Hosts in the Laboratory

Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) are the most commonly found fruit fly species in fruit crops in Brazil. Both polyphagous species show similar host ranges, but specific knowledge regarding the ovipositional preference of either species is scarce. The present study aims to evaluate, in the laboratory, ovipositional behaviours in seven fruit host submitted to infestation by A. fraterculus and C. capitata. Except for C. capitata in Tahiti acid lime, the number of punctures containing eggs exceeded the number of punctures without eggs. The highest values for eggs per puncture were obtained in Fuyu persimmon, for which averages of 4.06 and 50.09 eggs per puncture were deposited by A. fraterculus and C. capitata, respectively. For A. fraterculus, the infestation ranking, based on the number of eggs per puncture from high to low, was Fuyu persimmon > papaya > Tahiti acid lime > carambola > coffee > guava > sweet orange. For C. capitata, the infestation ranking was Fuyu persimmon > carambola > papaya > guava > sweet orange > coffee > Tahiti acid lime. All punctures made to carambola and papaya contained eggs. Sweet orange exhibited the maximum number of punctures of A. fraterculus without egg deposition. The first day of medfly oviposition in Fuyu persimmon resulted in approximately three-fold more eggs per puncture than the second, third, and fourth days.

Niche shift of tephritid species after the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) invasion in La Réunion

AbstractAimIn a context of successive fruit fly invasions (Tephritidae), this study investigated how the top invader, Bactrocera dorsalis, displaced established fruit fly populations. We focused, particularly, on how this invasion impacted the host range and climatic niche of each resident species.LocationLa Réunion, France, Indian Ocean.MethodsWe collected fruit from more than 100 plant species across the island, in cultivated and non‐cultivated areas at different altitudes in order to monitor the emergence of fruit flies. Fruit collection was conducted over two field campaigns: from 2001 to 2009, before the B. dorsalis invasion; and from 2018 to 2019, after the B. dorsalis invasion. We compared the distribution and host range of fruit fly species for the two periods.ResultsOur results confirmed the generalist character of B. dorsalis, with the infestation of 52 out of 112 of the fruit species collected in the field. After the B. dorsalis invasion, we observed a shift in the host range and spatial distribution of established tephritids. The host range of specialist species that only share a few host species with B. dorsalis did not change significantly. On the contrary, we observed a significant shift in diversity or proportion of host range and climatic niches for the generalist species, such as Bactrocera zonata, Ceratitis quilicii and Ceratitis capitata.Main conclusionsWe provide evidence of the competitive displacement induced by B. dorsalis on other established species. The coexistence between B. dorsalis and generalist Ceratitis species seems possible because they have different responses to climatic conditions or the capacity to exploit other host fruit species. In contrast, the coexistence of B. zonata with B. dorsalis seems to be compromised because both species have similar ecological requirements. This research provides useful information for managing invasions, particularly since understanding competitive displacements is essential for the identification of empty niches and for modelling potential species distribution.

Assemblages of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) along an elevational gradient in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea

Abstract Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the greatest diversity of dacine fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) in the world, many of which are significant agricultural pests. Although their taxonomy is relatively well known, there is limited research on their geographical and elevational distribution. We undertook a survey of PNG's fruit fly fauna along a complete elevational gradient on Mt Wilhelm (175–3700 m a.s.l.) to determine the elevational species distribution and turnover of fruit fly communities. Fruit flies were sampled using a selection of male parapheromone lures, including Zingerone, a new and promising male attractant. In total, we collected 10 700 fruit flies representing 77 species. The total abundance and species richness of fruit flies decreased with increasing elevation. Species richness was similarly high at 175 and 200 m a.s.l. (30 and 27 species) and at 700 and 1200 m a.s.l. (16 and 20 species, respectively) but dropped suddenly to only two species at 1700 m a.s.l. and to zero at all four sites above this elevation. There were no flies attracted exclusively to Zingerone. One species (Bactrocera recurrens) exhibited dramatic, temporal changes in abundance during the study period. Fruit fly assemblages were significantly influenced by both the lure type and elevation. Similarity of fruit fly communities decayed linearly with increasing elevational distance. We concluded that the upper limit of fruit fly distribution in PNG occurs between 1700 and 2200 m a.s.l. and the centre of diversity occurs between 0 and 700 m a.s.l.

Abundance and Diversity of Frugivorous Fruit Flies in Kandara, Murang’a County, Kenya

Fruits and vegetables are important source of livelihood to farmers and major horticulture sub sector with high contribution to agricultural GDP in Kenya. This study was conducted to determine diversity and abundance of frugivorous fruit flies in Kandara sub county, Murang’a County in 2018, at a place where first area of low pest population was created in Kenya for Bactrocera dorsalis. Three sets of pheromone traps (Methyl-Eugenol, Cuelure and Trimedlure) were set in six trap stations within farmers’ orchards in four agro-ecological zones (LH1 (Lower Highland Zone), UM1 (Upper Mid-land Zone), UM2, and UM3). The trap catch data was collected fortnightly and data analyzed. Six fruit flies species namely; Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis capitata, Zeugodacus cucurbitae, Dacus bivittatus and Perilampsis sp were identified. Bactrocera dorsalis population was significantly (P<.001) different across the four agro-ecologies with lowest densities at LH1 and highest at UM3. Likewise, C. capitata recorded significant (P=0.042) difference densities across the agro-ecological zones, but no significant (P=0.386) difference was recorded for C. cosyra across the agro-ecological zones. Further, there was significant (P=0.012) difference in the number of Perilampsis sp across the agro-ecologies with the highest number recorded in UM1. Both Z. cucurbitae (P=0.061) and D. bivittatus (P=0.056) had low abundance across the agro-ecologies. The peak infestation period differed across the various fruit fly species, whereby B. dorsalis peaked in May, C. capitata in February and C. cosyra in January. The study shows that abundance for the fruit flies is probably related to their preferred hostplant and the weather patterns. We recommend continuous monitoring and intensifying trapping activities during peak periods in order to control the pest and protect fruits from damage. Farmers should be trained on the use of pheromone traps to reduce over-reliance on pesticides. Key words: Agro-ecologies, Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis sp, fruit fly density, Pheromone

Characterization of microsatellite loci for three species of Tomoplagia (Diptera: Tephritidae) and absence of cross-species amplification

Tomoplagia (Diptera: Tephritidae) are endophagous herbivores on flowerheads of Asteraceae, with varying levels of host specialization. We isolated, characterized, and tested the heterologous amplification for sets of microsatellites of three species from this genus associated with native hosts in the Espinhaco mountain range, Brazil. We used two protocols to build microsatellite-enriched libraries and characterized 12 polymorphic loci for each fruit-fly species. The samples of T. grandis, a monophagous species, presented a lower number of alleles than the samples of the oligophagous species T. incompleta and T. bicolor. The average observed heterozygosity did not vary among species and the high values of Polymorphism Information Content suggest that the characterized microsatellite loci are quite informative. The primers developed for each Tomoplagia species failed to amplify the microsatellite loci for the other two species, which indicates a low conservation of the flanking nucleotide sequences in the three evaluated species. The sets of polymorphic microsatellites characterized for these species of Tomoplagia may be used in future ecological and evolutionary studies that aim to detect patterns of diversity on a fine scale.

Non-target effects of the exotic generalist parasitoid wasp Fopius arisanus (Sonan) estimated via competition assays against Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) on both native and exotic fruit fly hosts

Biological control by the generalist egg parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Sonan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) has been proposed against Bactrocera carambolae (Drew & Hancock) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in northern Brazil. This study assessed possible effects of F. arisanus on native parasitoids by focusing on competition with the native wasp Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on two hosts, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), a native tephritid, and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), an introduced pest tephritid. Laboratory and greenhouse cage studies showed that F. arisanus parasitized < 3% of the native host in competition or alone compared to 41–65% for C. capitata, while D. areolatus parasitized 12–42% of the native host and < 4% on C. capitata. The host origin of F. arisanus did not affect subsequent parasitism rates on native or exotic hosts. However, when reared on C. capitata, F. arisanus had higher parasitism on C. capitata than on A. fraterculus. Lab and greenhouse competition studies showed that F. arisanus had no measurable detrimental effect on the native parasitoid in either the native or introduced host, suggesting that F. arisanus interfered minimally with the native parasitoid. Based on these results and other relevant studies showing non-preference of F. arisanus for the native fruit fly species, as well as the non-preference of native parasitoids for exotic fruit flies, we infer that the release of F. arisanus against exotic tephritids such as C. capitata and B. carambolae in Brazil would not cause major disruption of the native populations of A. fraterculus parasitoids.

Biological Control of Tephritid Fruit Flies in the Americas and Hawaii: A Review of the Use of Parasitoids and Predators.

Simple SummaryBiological control has been the most commonly researched control tactic within fruit fly management programs, and parasitoids have been the main natural enemies used against pestiferous fruit fly species. In view of this fact, it is important to highlight and compile the data on parasitoids with a certain frequency, aiming to facilitate the knowledge of all the researchers. Information regarding the activities of parasitoids and predators on pestiferous fruit flies in the Americas is limited; therefore, this study aimed to compile the diversity of parasitoids and predators associated with tephritid fruit flies, as well as providing the scientific evidence about the use of parasitoids and predators as biological control agents for fruit flies im the Americas and Hawaii.Biological control has been the most commonly researched control tactic within fruit fly management programs. For the first time, a review is carried out covering parasitoids and predators of fruit flies (Tephritidae) from the Americas and Hawaii, presenting the main biological control programs in this region. In this work, 31 species of fruit flies of economic importance are considered in the genera Anastrepha (11), Rhagoletis (14), Bactrocera (4), Ceratitis (1), and Zeugodacus (1). In this study, a total of 79 parasitoid species of fruit flies of economic importance are listed and, from these, 50 are native and 29 are introduced. A total of 56 species of fruit fly predators occur in the Americas and Hawaii.