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Melon Fruit Fly
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Return to mapMelon Fruit Fly
Melon Fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae, and certain other Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Cuelure, 4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone acetate, a derivative of raspberry ketone, 4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, is highly attractive to male (but not female) melon flies, Bactrocera cucurbitae, and certain other Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae). However, both raspberry ketone and cuelure have limitations because neither compound is sufficiently attractive to achieve eradication of melon fly populations by male annihilation, in part because of low volatility. Ongoing research in ICEL is exploring mechanical and derivatization methods to increase the volatility of raspberry ketone.