Detection/Monitoring of Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae): Assessing the Potential of Prospective New Lures

Abstract

Bactrocera latifrons is a tephritid fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) which has a host list of 59 plant species from 14 plant families, with over 70% of the host plant species coming from the plant families Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. Bactrocera latifrons is of primarily Asian distribution, but its range has expanded through introductions into Hawaii, Okinawa (Japan), Tanzania, and Kenya. The documented introductions into countries outside its native distribution show that this species poses a risk of introductions into other countries where it does not presently occur, particularly through the movement of infested fruit. As with other tephritid fruit fly species, establishment of B. latifrons can have significant economic consequences, including damage and loss of food production, as well as requirements for implementation of costly quarantine treatments to permit export of commodities susceptible to infestation by B. latifrons and inspection of susceptible imported commodities. Because of the economic importance of B. latifrons, reliable methods are needed to detect, monitor, and control this species. We conducted field trials with a wild B. latifrons population, supported by the invasive weed, turkeyberry, Solanum torvum (Solanaceae), to compare attractive- ness of prospective new lures with several attractants that have often been used for detection and/or monitoring of tephritid fruit flies. The tests reported here have again shown higher B. latifrons catch in traps baited with alpha-ionol + cade oil relative to traps baited with protein baits. Among the attractants to which both male and female B. latifrons are attracted, fly response is significantly better to a Solulys AST–based protein bait than to other attractants tested. Beyond this, there was no significant difference in catch among the (wet) torula yeast baited trap and four (dry) alternative attractants (ammonia, biolure, rainbow plug and cucumber volatile plug). This shows that these dry trap alternatives have a comparable ability to catch B. latifrons adults as a wet protein bait trap (though not comparable to a Solulys AST–based wet trap).