Field Evaluation of Female Attractants for Monitoring <I>Ceratitis capitata</I> (Diptera: Tephritidae) Under a Range of Climatic Conditions and Population Levels in Western Australia

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in Western Australia to compare captures of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in a standard male-targeted trap (Lynfield trap baited with Capilure) with a synthetic, female-targeted attractant marketed as BioLure. BioLure was also compared with other fenale attractants (orange ammonia, liquid protein bait) and tested in plastic McPhail, Tephri, and Lynfield traps. The possibility of using one trap to monitor female and male C. capitata populations was also tested by combining BioLure in a trap with the male attractant, Capilure. The results of these experiments show that BioLure outperformed the female-targeted system currently used for monitoring female C. capitala (liquid protein in MePhail trap). More male C. capitata were caught in the standard male-targeted trap, but more females were caught in traps baited with BioLure irrespective of trap type, climate, host tree, or population level. Combined lure traps caught equivalent total numbers of C. capitata to the standard male-targeted trap, but fewer females were captured. Tephri traps caught more flies than McPhail traps, but McPhail traps caught equivalent proportions of females. We compared the performance in commercial orchards of the standard male-targeted trap with a female-targeted trap (McPhail with BioLure). We found that the male trap detected C. capitata more often, caught more flies, triggered the economic threshold more often (66% of the time) and was more cost effective. The male-targeted trap is recommended for use on commercial orchards if cost is limiting. However, using both male and female-targeted traps increases the chance of detecting flies and triggering the economic threshold level. The synthetic female attractant is recommended for replacement of protein hydrolysate lures and may be used in either Tephri or McPhail traps.

Evaluation of lures and traps for male and female monitoring of Mediterranean fruit fly in pome and stone fruit

“…In our comparative trap trials, the percentage of female flies ranged from 88.6% to 92.3%, indicating high female specificity. Previously, Broughton and De Lima () found that the Tephri‐trap was the most effective female trap of those tested in trials in Western Australia, which agrees with Miranda et al. () in field trials in the Balearic Islands, Spain.…”

“…). The three‐component BioLure ® (ammonium acetate, trimethylamine and putrescine as separate packages) along with the Tephri‐trap, a Spanish‐manufactured trap, was adopted as the standard female‐targeted trapping system in WA (Broughton and De Lima ).…”

Interference between male‐targeted and female‐targeted lures of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Dipt., Tephritidae) in Italy

“…Our results support an earlier report by Broughton and Francis De Lima (2002), in which the combination of trimedlure‐containing baits in traps with BioLure ® (BioLure ® , Consep ® , Bend, OR, Columbia, USA; a three‐component lure of separate packages of ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine hydrochloride) resulted in fewer female captures than traps with BioLure ® alone. In other studies, the presence of trimedlure resulted in fewer females caught in traps baited with aqueous food lure (protein hydrolysate) than in traps with only food lure ( Villeda et al., 1988; Hendrichs et al., 1989).…”

Trapping and the Detection, Control, and Regulation of Tephritid Fruit Flies

“…Katsoyannos (1994) found that trimedlure combined with NuLure:borax (9:3 %) captured mostly males, with decreased female and non-target capture. Broughton and De Lima (2002) observed that the combination of trimedlure and 3C BioLure captured the same number of flies as 3C BioLure alone, but the percentage of females per trap decreased. Tóth et al (2004) confirmed, in field tests conducted in Italy, that there were decreases in both female and male C. capitata capture when trimedlure and synthetic food-based lures were used in a single trap versus each attractant deployed in a separate trap.…”

“…Trimethylamine HCl, formulated in a membrane-based lure, is commercially available in combination with ammonium acetate and putrescine lures (3C BioLure, Suterra LLC). In tests conducted in several continents, McPhail-type traps baited with 3C BioLure and used with aqueous retention fluid containing triton as a surfactant captured equal or more C. capitata than traps baited with aqueous NuLure:borax (9:5 %) Miranda et al 2001) or traps baited with other aqueous protein baits (Broughton and de Lima 2002). There was also equal capture of A. suspensa in traps baited with either 3C BioLure or aqueous TYB, although both of those baits captured fewer flies than in traps baited with 2C BioLure .…”