Electronic traps for detection and population monitoring of adult fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

During the last decades, the economic importance of tephritid fruit flies (FF) has increased worldwide because of recurrent invasions and expansions into new areas, and reduced control capabilities of current control systems. Efficient monitoring systems, thus, are required to provide fast information to act promptly. With this aim in mind, we developed two electronic trap (e‐trap) versions for adult FF: one with specific volatiles for male and female adult Ceratitis capitata, and the second, based on the attraction of adult FF to yellow colour, targeting Dacus ciliatus, Rhagoletis cerasi and Bactrocera oleae. In the case of B. oleae, the female pheromone and ammonium bicarbonate were added as synergists. In the two versions, attracted FF were retained in the trap on glued surfaces. Real‐time images of the surfaces were automatically taken and transmitted to a server. We tested the two e‐trap versions in insect‐proof cages, where flies were released and recaptured, and in commercial orchards throughout the Mediterranean: C. capitata in peach orchards in Italy; R. cerasi in cherry orchards in Greece; B. oleae in olive orchards in Spain and in Greece; and D. ciliatus in melons in plastic tunnels in Israel. The e‐trap showed excellent abilities to transmit real‐time images of trapped FF and a high specificity for trapping different FF species. The ability of the entomologist to correctly classify FF from images in the office was >88%. In addition, average number of flies/trap in e‐trap grids did not differ from numbers reported on grids of conventional traps that were operating simultaneously. The e‐traps developed and tested in this study provide the basis for the real‐time monitoring of FF were no olfactory attractants are available, and for the surveillance of alien FF incursions where generic, but not specific, olfactory attractants exists.

An Integrated Decision Support System for Environmentally-Friendly Management of the Ethiopian Fruit Fly in Greenhouse Crops

“…Therefore, to test an automatic monitoring system, we replaced some of the simple YSBs with a real-time wireless automatic trapping system developed for the study to monitor EFF populations remotely in the DSS study area ( Figure 5, labelled as RETIC-Real Time Insect Counting Trap, and Figure 6). The electronic design, reliability, and performance of the RETIC automatic trap has been recently reported by Shaked et al [9]. Pictures of the YSB in each RETIC-trap were obtained at least once a day, and the image sent via 3G connection to the Internet, where the "digital scout" (or professional entomologist) visually examined the high-resolution images (5 Mpxl) for EFF.…”

“…The application regime follows a calendar pattern, with cover-sprays of melons every 15 days. Spraying activities are initiated once the first flies are detected (monitored only by yellow-sticky traps in the growing area [9], since there is no specific chemical attractant known for this fly [10]). Additional pesticide applications (usually implemented every second week), however, are conducted independently of fruit damage and EFF population levels.…”

Defining and Evaluating a Decision Support System (DSS) for the Precise Pest Management of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata, at the Farm Level

“…In the DSS-assisted plots, a semi-automatic monitoring system was also deployed. This system was composed of an electronic trap (e-trap) that was recently developed [19]. The e-traps are based on a modified Jackson trap model, baited with Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine) to attract both Medfly sexes.…”

“…The numbers of medflies from the e-traps were entered into the DSS algorithm. The details of the infrastructure of the electronic hardware, the communication systems, and the performance of the modified traps are reported in Shaked et al [19]. In the conventional plots, adult monitoring (both males and females) was carried out with standard Jackson traps baited with the same attractant that was used in e-traps.…”

“…These types of orchards add additional difficulties in the decision-making process of a DSS due to the differential susceptibility in time and space of planted varieties. The developed and tested DSS also incorporates a precision targeting approach to manage the spatial and temporal variability of pest risk and the novel, recently developed medfly semi-automatic adult monitoring [19], which is not considered by MedCila, which is expected to be fully automated in the near future.…”