To Catch a Fly: Landing and Capture of Ceratitis capitata in a Jackson Trap with and without an Insecticide

Abstract

Attractant-based traps are a cornerstone of detection, delimitation and eradication programs for pests such as tephritid fruit flies. The ideal trap and lure combination has high attraction (it brings insects to the trap from a distance) and high capture efficiency (it has a high probability of capturing the insect once it arrives at the trap). We examined the effect of an insecticide (DDVP) in combination with a pheromone lure (trimedlure) on capture of Ceratitis capitata using 1) digital images of surfaces of a Jackson trap analyzed via computer vision, and 2) counts of the number of flies caught in the trap and in the area under the trap. Our results indicate no significant difference in trap capture without or with insecticide (means ± SD = 324 ±135 and 356 ±108, respectively). However, significantly more dead flies were found around the trap with insecticide (92 ±53 with insecticide compared with 35 ±22 without), suggesting a possible decrease in trap efficiency due to mortality before insects enter the trap. Indeed, the average number of flies detected on all surfaces of the traps with insecticide was lower than that for lure-only (4.15±0.39 vs 8.30±1.18), and both were higher than control (no lure: 0.76 ±0.08). We found that the majority of fly sightings, 71% of the total, occurred on the inside panels of the lure-only traps, suggesting that increased efficiency of the Jackson trap may be obtained by adding a contact insecticide to those surfaces.

A field test on the effectiveness of male annihilation technique against Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) at varying application densities

“…dorsalis and MAT-ME, Vargas et al [50] reported higher catches with two or four week old lures compared with those aged one week. Various explanations besides saturation might account for these observations, including receptor overloading [51] and, in the case where an insecticide is used with the lure, repellence or mortality before the insect enters a trap [52]. Changes in reapplication intervals must also consider toxicant durability.…”

Jackson trap efficiency capturing Bactrocera dorsalis and Zeugodacus cucurbitae with male lures with and without insecticides

“…In some instances, the fresh insecticide reduced catch for the first few weeks (Vargas et al, 2009). While a repellent effect has been hypothesized (Jang, 2011), a study on Ceratitis capitata suggests that mortality outside the trap is a more likely cause (Manoukis, 2016). Under weather conditions found in California, Arizona and Florida duration of the lures might be shorter, in the range of 6–8 weeks for methyl eugenol and 12 for cuelure (Jang et al, 2013; T. Shelly et al, 2015).…”

“…This has been found to be generally effective (e.g. Manoukis, 2016). A lure is usually affixed on the inside of the trap, and a 'sticky' insert (again, usually of cardboard) is placed on the inside bottom of the trap to capture insects (Gilbert et al, 2013).…”

Effects of male lure dispensers and trap types for monitoring of Ceratitis capitata and Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)

“…The addition of a fresh insecticidal strip 2, 2‐dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) inside a trap baited with a male lure was previously shown to reduce fly catches and this was attributed to a repelling effect caused by high concentration of the insecticidal vapor emanating from the trap 55,56 . A recent study by Manoukis 57 showed a decrease in efficiency of TML‐baited traps as a detection method when an insecticide was included, compared with when it was excluded, and this was attributed to mortality of flies occurring before they land and enter the trap.…”