Traps baited with synthetic aggregation pheromone and fermenting bread dough were used to monitor seasonal incidence and abundance of the ripening fruit pests, Carpophilus hemipterus (L.), C. mutilatus Erichson and C. duvidsoni Dobson in stone fruit orchards in the

Summary1 Five experiments were conducted during 1995–99 in stone fruit orchards on the Central Coast and in inland New South Wales, Australia, on the use of synthetic aggregation pheromones and a coattractant to suppress populations of the ripening fruit pests Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).2 Perimeter‐based suppression traps baited with pheromone and coattractant placed at 3 m intervals around small fruit blocks, caught large numbers of Carpophilus spp. Very small populations of Carpophilus spp. occurred within blocks, and fruit damage was minimal.3 Carpophilus spp. populations in stone fruit blocks 15–370 m from suppression traps were also small and non‐damaging, indicating a large zone of pheromone attractivity.4 Pheromone/coattractant‐baited suppression traps appeared to divert Carpophilus spp. from nearby (130 m) ripening stone fruit. Ten metal drums containing decomposing fruit, baited with pheromone and treated with insecticide, attracted Carpophilus spp. and appeared to reduce populations and damage to ripening fruit at distances of 200–500 m. Populations and damage were significantly greater within 200 m of the drums and may have been caused by ineffective poisoning or poor quality/overcrowding of fruit resources in the drums.5 Suppression of Carpophilus spp. populations using synthetic aggregation pheromones and a coattractant appears to be a realistic management option in stone fruit orchards. Pheromone‐mediated diversion of beetle populations from ripening fruit may be more practical than perimeter trapping, but more research is needed on the effective range of Carpophilus pheromones and the relative merits of trapping compared to attraction to insecticide‐treated areas.

Eggs of Carpophilus humeralis (F.) and Carpophilus mutilatus Erichson developed at constant temperatures from 20–37.5°C, while Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) completed development at temperatures from 20–42.5°C. Carpophilus hemipterus completed larval and pupal development at all temperatures up to and including 40°C. Carpophilus mutilatus reached adulthood at 37.5°C, but C. humeralis was only able to complete egg to adult development at temperatures up to 32.5°C. Rates of development changed in a linear fashion with temperature. The development of C. hemipterus eggs and larvae was faster at all temperatures than the other two species (P < 0.05). Developmental duration from egg to adult for the three species ranged from 47–65 days at 20°C to 14–18 days at 32.5°C. The fastest development was recorded for C. hemipterus at 37.5°C (13.4 days). Lower developmental zeroes (DZ) were similar for the eggs, larvae and pupae of each species, ranging between 14.0–16.0°C. Estimates of DZ for egg–adult development were 15.3°C (mutilatus), 15.4°C (humeralis) and 14.6°C (hemipterus). Egg to adult development required 260.4 (hemipterus), 297.6 (humeralis) or 320.0 (mutilatus) degree‐days. Survivorship was greatest for all species at temperatures between 25–30°C, with the larval stage suffering most mortality from higher or lower temperatures. The use of degree‐day estimates to predict timing of adult generations of Carpophilus spp. is discussed with respect to the management of these pests in stone fruit orchards in southern Australia.

Fermenting apple juice (FAJ) contained within polyacrylamide granules was an eective pheromone coattractant for Carpophilus davidsoni in trapping experiments conducted in stone fruit orchards in southern New South Wales. Fermenting apple juice-baited traps captured as many beetles as traps baited with the`standard' coattractant fermenting bread dough (FBD), either alone or in combination with aggregation pheromone. Increasing the interval of FAJ replacement to 2 weeks instead of 1 week, as is necessary for FBD, did not reduce trapping eciency. Replacement of FAJ every three weeks did not aect captures of C. davidsoni in one experiment but did reduce captures of Carpophilus mutilatus. In a second experiment, captures of C. davidsoni were also reduced. Fermenting apple juice contained within polyacrylamide granules replaced at fortnightly intervals is an eective, convenient and practical pheromone coattractant for Carpophilus spp.

Orchard experiments were conducted in southern New South Wales to evaluate the efficacy of multispecies pheromone lures in trapping two economically important species of Carpophilus. Captures of Carpophilus davidsoni Dobson and Carpophilus mutilatus Erichson in traps baited with aggregation pheromones of both species or a three-way lure that also included the pheromone of Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) were not significantly different from captures in traps baited with conspecific pheromones. Carpophilus davidsoni and C. mutilatus were cross-attracted to traps baited with the pheromone of the other species, but numbers were significantly reduced compared with traps baited with conspecific or heterospecific pheromones. Multispecies lures will improve prospects for the commercial use of synthetic aggregation pheromones in Carpophilus beetle management in stone-fruit orchards.