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Title: DISTRIBUTION AND HOST UTILIZATION OF BACTROCERA LATIFRONS (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI, HAWAII

Author
item Harris, Ernest
item Liquido, Nicanor
item Spencer, John

Submitted to: Hawaiian Entomological Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2001
Publication Date: 12/1/2001
Citation: Harris, E.J., Liquido, N.J., Spencer, J.P. 2001. Distribution and host utilization of bactrocera latifrons (diptera: tephritidae) on the island of kauai, hawaii. Hawaiian Entomological Society Proceedings. 35:55-66.

Interpretive Summary: A survey was made on the island of Kauai using protein bait traps, fruit traps and monthly fruit collections to get information about the distribution, abundance, and host preferences of tephritid fruit flies on Kauai. The results showed that the solanaceous fruit fly was found for the first time on Kauai. Only the melon fly and oriental fruit fly responded to the traps, the solanaceous fruit fly did not respond. All tephritid fruit flies responded to the fruits but with different rates of preference. Distrubution of the solanaceous fruit fly was confined to the arid west side of Kauai where as oriental fruit fly and melon fly were widspread in their distribution.

Technical Abstract: A survey was made on the island of Kauai using hydrolyzed protein traps, fruit traps and monthly fruit collections to determine the distribution, abundance, and host preferences of Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel). No B. latifrons were found in protein bait traps that caught B. dorsalis (Hendel), B. cucurbitae (Coquillet) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Fruit traps baited with egg plant, Solanum melongenaring L., and zucchini squash, Cucumis melo L., were used for the first time to detect B. latifrons. Bactrocera latifrons was found for the first time on Kauai infesting tomato, Lycopersicum esculentum Miller. In addition to tomato, the fly was found infesting home garden eggplant and pepper, S. nigrum L. Bactrocera latifrons was found jointly infesting fruit collections of eggplant and tomato with B. dorsalise and B. cucurbitae and pepper with B. dorsalis. Also, for the first time on Kauai, B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae lei Kikania, S. aculeatissium Jacq. Distribution of the fly was confined primarily to the arid west side opf Kauai, where it occurred in low numbers in the towns of Kekaha, Waimea, and Hanapepe. Fruit collections were the most sensitive and reliable indicators of B. latifrons occurrence and host utilization. Niche biology and ecology of B. latifrons are discussed in relation to distribution to distribution, habitat and host sharing species of tephritid fruit flies.