ARS | Publication request: Area-wide suppression of the mediterranean fruit fly, ceratitis capitata and the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera:Tephritidae) in Kamuela, Hawaii

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 2009
Publication Date: August 17, 2010
Citation: Vargas, R.I., Pinero, J.C., Mau, R.F., Jang, E.B., Klungness, L.M., Mcinnis, D.O., Harris, E.B., Mcquate, G.T., Bautista, R.C., Wong, L. 2010. Area-wide suppression of the mediterranean fruit fly, ceratitis capitata and the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera:Tephritidae) in Kamuela, Hawaii. Journal of Insect Science. 36:104.

Interpretive Summary: The USDA Agricultural Research Service initiated a fruit fly suppression program for the State of Hawaii in 2000. The first area-wide fruit fly suppression demonstration site was implemented in Kamuela, Hawaii. This paper documents the suppression of oriental fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly in a 40 sq. km area containing urban, rural and agricultural zones. The suppression techniques used against Mediterranean fruit fly which included male lure monitoring, sanitation, bait spray with GF120 Naturalyte NF, and Biolure traps to capture females, resulted in an 88.9% reduction in flies/trap/day and a substantial decline in fruit infestation (91%). B. dorsalis was suppressed with sanitation, bait spray, male trapping using methyl eugenol, augmentation of parasitism using Fopius arisanus and the release of sterile male oriental fruit fly. Reduction in fly captures over the 6 years of the treatments averaged 45%, but maximum reduction was 99% (comparing highest and lowest periods). Fruit infestation by oriental fruit fly declined 60% over the period of bait spray application and parasitoid augmentation, but began to increase after those treatments were suspended. The reduction in B. dorsalis from peak to lowest infestation was 98%. The 40 sq. km treatment area was compared to three control sites at three elevations, 1, 9 and 10 km from Kamuela, over four and a half years. The female Mediterranean fruit flies per trap per day at Kamuela was 95% lower than the mean of the other three sites. Male B. dorsalis flies per trap per day at Kamuela was 81% lower than the mean of the three sites. The effectiveness of combining suppression techniques in an area wide approach is discussed.

Technical Abstract: The USDA Agricultural Research Service initiated a fruit fly suppression program for the State of Hawaii in 2000. The first area-wide fruit fly suppression demonstration site was implemented in Kamuela, Hawaii. This paper documents the suppression of oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis, Hendel) and Mediterranean fruit fly (Cerititis capitata, Wiedemann) (Diptera:Tephritidae) in a 40 sq. km area containing urban, rural and agricultural zones. The suppression techniques used against C. capitata which included male lure monitoring, sanitation, bait spray with GF120 Naturalyte NF, and Biolure traps to capture females, resulted in an 88.9% reduction in flies/trap/day and a substantial decline in fruit infestation (90.7%). B. dorsalis was suppressed with sanitation, bait spray, male annihilation using methyl eugenol, augmentation of parasitism using Fopius arisanus (Sonan) (Hymenoptera:Braconidae) and the release of sterile male B. dorsalis. Reduction in fly captures over the 6 years of the treatments averaged 44.9%, but maximum reduction was 99.5% (comparing highest and lowest periods). Fruit infestation by B. dorsalis declined 60.67% over the period of bait spray application and parasitoid augmentation, but began to increase after those treatments were suspended. The reduction in B. dorsalis from peak to lowest infestation was 98.1%. The 40 sq. km treatment area was compared to three control sites at three elevations, 1, 9 and 10 km from Kamuela, over 4.6 years. The c. capitata female flies/trap/day at Kamuela was 94.7% lower than the mean of the other three sites. B. dorsalis female flies/trap/day at Kamuela was 81.2% lower than the mean of the three sites. The effectiveness of combining suppression techniques in an area wide approach is discussed.