Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317079
Title: Captures of wild Ceratitis capitata Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in traps with improved multi-lure TMR-Dispensers weathered in California

Author
item Vargas, Roger
item Souder, Steven
item MORSE, JOSEPH - University Of California
item GRAFTON CARDWELL, ELIZABETH - University Of California
item HAVILAND, DAVID - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item KABASHIMA, JOHN - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item FABER, BEN - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item Mackey, Bruce
item COOK, PETER - Farma Tech International Corp

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2015
Publication Date: 11/18/2015
Citation: Vargas, R.I., Souder, S., Morse, J.G., Grafton Cardwell, E.E., Haviland, D., Kabashima, J.N., Faber, B., Mackey, B.E., Cook, P. 2015. Captures of wild Ceratitis capitata Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in traps with improved multi-lure TMR-Dispensers weathered in California. Journal of Economic Entomology. 109(2):607-612.

Interpretive Summary: Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are a significant economic and agricultural concern worldwide because of the wide range of fruits, nuts, and vegetables they infest. Early detection and eradication methods for accidental introductions of invasive fruit flies in the United States involve deployment of large numbers of traps baited with the highly attractive male specific lures to detect such pests as Mediterranean fruit fly, melon fly, and oriental fruit fly. Current methods employ liquid lures with liquid insecticides that pose environmental and worker safety challenges. As a result, replacing liquid mixtures with safer alternatives for detection, monitoring and control without compromising performance levels has been a primary research goal. In 2005, the cost of surveillance in Florida, Texas and California was $11 million, $1.8 million and $20 million, respectively. An evaluation of a solid multi-lure and insecticide dispensers (Mallet TMR) is a logical step towards reducing labor, improving trap densities, and eliminating environmentally unfriendly pesticides associated with trapping multiple species within a large area. This study conducted through the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, Hawaii, assessed the Mallet TMR wafers performance and longevity weathered inside standard Jackson traps under varying climate conditions in five citrus growing regions of California. Further comparisons of this improved trapping system include weathered treatments combined with an insecticidal strip. In the present study, captures of Mediterranean fruit fly, melon fly, and oriental fruit fly in traps baited with Mallet TMR treatments did not significantly differ from any weathering location assessed in California. These solid wafers are safer and more convenient to handle, and may be used in place of several individual lure and trap systems, potentially reducing costs of large survey and detection programs in Florida and California.

Technical Abstract: During 2012-2013 two “attract and kill” systems were weathered in California as potential detection and male annihilation treatments (MAT). Solid Mallet TMR (trimedlure [TML], methyl eugenol [ME], raspberry ketone [RK]) wafers impregnated with DDVP (2, 2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) insecticide were weathered during summer (8 wk) and winter (12 wk) in five California citrus growing counties (Kern, Ventura, Orange, Tulare, and Riverside). In addition TMR wafers without DDVP and with a Hercon Vaportape II insecticidal strip were compared to TMR dispensers with DDVP at Lindcove and Riverside. Weathered treatments were shipped every week (overnight delivery) to Hawaii and frozen for a later bioassay in a 1335 ha coffee plantation near Numila, Kauai Island, HI where Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) Mediterranean fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, oriental fruit fly, and, B.cucurbitae (Coquillett), melon fly are all present. We compared trap captures of C.capitata, B.dorsalis, and B.cucurbitae for the five different weathering locations. Captures of C.capitata, B. dorsalis and B.cucurbitae with Mallet TMR dispensers (with DDVP) were not significantly different for the five locations. Captures with the Malllet TMR dispenser without DDVP and Vaportape were similar to those for Mallet TMR with DDVP, although there were some slight location diferences. In conclusion, based on these and prior results, the Mallet TMR dispenser could potentially be used in place of three individual lure and trap stations, reducing costs of large fruit fly survey programs. Use of vaportape with dispensers would not require them to be registered with USEPA. Dispensers for use as MAT devices will be tested further in Hawaii.