Response of female Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) to a spinosad bait and polymer matrix mixture with extended residual effect in Hawaii

J Econ Entomol. 2011 Dec;104(6):1856-63. doi: 10.1603/ec11056.

Abstract

The effectiveness of foliar applications of protein baits against pestiferous fruit flies (Tephritidae) can be adversely affected by a rapid loss of attractive volatile compounds and by rainfall due to the high water solubility of the baits. In a large coffee, Coffea arabica L., plantation in Hawaii with high and low populations of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), the relative attractiveness of GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait as either a 40% (vol:vol) spray solution (= GF-120 NF) or as a formulated proprietary amorphous polymer matrix (= GF-120 APM) was compared. The GF-120 APM formulations contained either, 25, 50, or 75% of GF-120 NF (wt:wt). All baits were tested in association with visually attractive yellow bait stations as a way of standardizing the evaluations. With both high and low C. capitata populations, significantly more females were attracted to the fresh sprayed GF-120 NF than to any of the three fresh GF-120 APM formulations. The attractiveness of GF-120 sprayed decreased significantly after 1 wk, whereas 1-wk-old GF-120 APM formulations were as attractive as similar fresh formulations. GF-120 APM 75% aged for 3 wk outperformed similarly-aged sprayed GF-120 NF with comparatively high C. capitata populations. With low populations, both GF-120 APM 75% and GF-120 APM 50% aged for 2 wk outperformed the similarly aged sprayed GF-120 NF. Combined findings indicate that APM mixed with either 50 or 75% GF-120 applied to bait stations can be attractive to female C. capitata for up to 3 wk longer than the standard sprayed GF-120 NF.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Ceratitis capitata / drug effects*
  • Coffee
  • Drug Combinations
  • Environment
  • Female
  • Hawaii
  • Insect Control / methods*
  • Insecticides / administration & dosage
  • Insecticides / pharmacology*
  • Macrolides / administration & dosage
  • Macrolides / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Pheromones / administration & dosage
  • Pheromones / pharmacology*
  • Polymers / administration & dosage
  • Population Density
  • Seasons
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Coffee
  • Drug Combinations
  • Insecticides
  • Macrolides
  • Pheromones
  • Polymers
  • insect attractants
  • spinosad