Evaluation of Trimedlure Bait Field Duration under Florida Field Conditions

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effect of trimedlure (TML) bait field duration on recovery of sterile male Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) under west central Florida conditions. Jackson traps baited with TML soft plugs were placed in residential (N = 80) and industrial (N = 40) settings, then monitored weekly. Traps were monitored to determine if TML bait at three- or six- week field duration had a greater attractiveness towards C. capitata. In all but one instance, traps with three-week field duration achieved higher C. capitata yield than traps baited in the field for six weeks. However, no significant difference (P > 0.05) was found in trap yield as a result of bait age. Given these data, maintaining Jackson traps on six-week duration bait is more cost effective with no significant recovery loss due to attractiveness to sterile release C. capitata in a residential setting.