Influence of Experience on Acceptance of Artificial Oviposition Substrates in Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)

Abstract

Naive, non-irradiated, laboratory-reared Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) females from a colony in culture for more than 300 generations had a much greater propensity than naive wild-origin C. capitata females to attempt opposition in 100 mm diameter hollow pre-punctured plastic yellow spheres used in collecting C. capitata eggs. Ovipositional experience of lab-cultured females for 3 days with host fruit caused a reduction in propensity to bore into the spheres. Nonetheless, this propensity remained greater than that of naive or fruit-experienced wild-origin females. Our findings therefore suggest consideration of the nature of prior ovipositional experience of C. capitata when using artificial egg-collecting devices.