A survey of three main tephritids and their hosts in Mauritius and some studies on their control with attractive chemical traps.
Ramsamy M. P.
Author Affiliation: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources, Reduit, Mauritius.
Insect Science and its Application 10 : 383-391
Abstract : At present there are 9 species of tephritid fruit flies in Mauritius which are found on a wide range of hosts, from wild guavas to cultivated fruits and vegetables. The most destructive among them are Pterandrus rosa [Ceratitis rosa], Ceratitis capitata and Dacus cucurbitae [Bactrocera cucurbitae]. Studies with parapheromones indicated that trap colour has little if any effect on the efficiency of fly capture, the olfactory component completely dominating any visual effect. In mango orchards, which were predominantly infested with C. rosa and C. capitata, trimedlure was used, whereas in cucurbit fields, which contained mainly B. cucurbitae, cue-lure was used. All 3 species were attracted to traps baited with trimedlure. The efficiency of the traps with respect to height varied from species to species and with the vegetation. A height of 120-180 cm from the ground was found to be optimal for C. rosa in its natural habitat of wild guava. Traps placed at ground level on creeping plants were found to capture the highest numbers of B. cucurbitae. The response of C. capitata in fruit tree orchards to traps at different heights was erratic, showing inconsistent trends with more than one peak.