Fruit bagging is an important strategy to protect fruit against fruit fly (Tephritidae) infestation and pesticide contamination. In laboratory, we compared the forced infestation of guavas by Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) when wrapping them with non- woven fabric (NWF) bags. The combined repellence and protection effects of white, green, blue and red NWF bags were tested in comparison with un-bagged guavas. Bagged fruit with the NWF tissue stuck to the pericarp were separately exposed to both fruit fly species for 48 hours, with a ratio of 10 females per fruit inside of laboratory cages. In C. capitata, the number of pupae per fruit was significantly higher in the green NWF bags, and the infestation in the other colour bags were similar to the control group (non-bagged). In A. fraterculus, guavas with red NWF bags had significantly higher infestation (205.42 pupae per fruit) than fruit that received the other colour bags White and blue bags were less attractive for oviposition from both fruit fly species. The adherence of the NWF bags to the fruit surface causes egg-laying of fruit flies.

Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) are the most commonly found fruit fly species in fruit crops in Brazil. Both polyphagous species show similar host ranges, but specific knowledge regarding the ovipositional preference of either species is scarce. The present study aims to evaluate, in the laboratory, ovipositional behaviours in seven fruit host submitted to infestation by A. fraterculus and C. capitata. Except for C. capitata in Tahiti acid lime, the number of punctures containing eggs exceeded the number of punctures without eggs. The highest values for eggs per puncture were obtained in Fuyu persimmon, for which averages of 4.06 and 50.09 eggs per puncture were deposited by A. fraterculus and C. capitata, respectively. For A. fraterculus, the infestation ranking, based on the number of eggs per puncture from high to low, was Fuyu persimmon > papaya > Tahiti acid lime > carambola > coffee > guava > sweet orange. For C. capitata, the infestation ranking was Fuyu persimmon > carambola > papaya > guava > sweet orange > coffee > Tahiti acid lime. All punctures made to carambola and papaya contained eggs. Sweet orange exhibited the maximum number of punctures of A. fraterculus without egg deposition. The first day of medfly oviposition in Fuyu persimmon resulted in approximately three-fold more eggs per puncture than the second, third, and fourth days.

Some species of Lonchaeidae (Diptera) are considered frugivorous and polyphagous pests, and are widely distributed in Neotropical regions. The relationship between a fly and its host plant is important for studies on behavior and distribution of frugivorous flies. The objective of this work was to identify the Lonchaeidae fly species and their host plants in the Cerrado biome, specifically in the state of Piauí, Brazil. Eighty-one adults (33 ♀ and 48 ♂) from the genus Neosilba McAlpine (Lonchaeidae), represented by the species Neosilba inesperata Strikis & Prado, Neosilba pendula Bezzi, and Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine, were collected from fruit samples. Oranges [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] and guava (Psidium guajava L.) had the highest frequencies of infestation. A Neosilba species was considered a primary invader in orange. These results are the first ones reported of Lonchaeidae species and their host plants in the state of Piauí.

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause significant losses during the production and marketing of horticultural products. Brazilian growers usually adopt full-coverage insecticide spraying to control fruit flies, but toxic bait is a more strategic technique, because reach efficacy and the target surface is the foliage and branches. We provide information regarding the toxicity of spinetoram bait to two fruit fly species in the laboratory as an alternative to organophosphates and the specific spinosad formulation. We tested toxic baits in the laboratory, using commercial hydrolysed corn protein (10% v/v) plus 90 g, 120 g, 150 g and 180 g dilutions of spinetoram 250 WG (commercial product/1,000 litres of water). All toxic baits were compared with an untreated control (only protein) for the adults of females and males of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart, 1835) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) up to 30 hours of exposure. Dry food for adults was included in all dilutions (5% w/v). In addition, we tested the residual effect of toxic baits applied to the leaves of mandarin seedlings. We used the same treatments of the earlier bioassay without dry food, collecting treated leaves and exposing them to C. capitata (medfly) females for 24 hours in the laboratory. Leaves were collected 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after application. Overall, medfly adults were more susceptible to spinetoram baits than A. obliqua. All toxic baits resulted in 100% C. capitata mortality 24 hours after initial exposure, and the toxic bait at 150 g/1,000 L of water resulted in the maximum mortality (96%) in A. obliqua. Except for 90 g of spinetoram bait at 30 days after application, all spinetoram bait concentrations resulted in significantly, more dead C. capitata females than the control over all tested periods in the residual bioassay. At 30 days after application, spinetoram baits at 120 g, 150 g and 180 g resulted in 85%, 87% and 86% mortality in C. capitata, respectively. Spinetoram toxic baits have proven promising for long-term fruit fly management.

In the laboratory, a neem oil-based formulation was evaluated for its insecticidal potential against the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.), as efficient alternative for growers harvest fruits more harmless for the human consumption. The commercial product was evaluated against eggs in vitro, guavas infested with eggs and young larvae, and adults. The application of 0.8% neem oil significantly reduced the larval hatching of A. fraterculus. Neem oil at 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8% significantly reduced the number of pupae and adults per fruit infested with eggs. Guava infested with A. fraterculus eggs and treated with neem oil at 0.8% exhibited a reduction of 90.0% and 92.6% of pupae and adults per fruit, respectively. The same dosage to guava infested by larvae achieved a 44.6 and 51.4% reduction of pupae and larvae, respectively. At 360 minutes after treatment, 0.8% of neem oil provided 67.9% of corrected adult mortality. This double insecticidal effect of neem oil and lack of phytotoxicity in ripe guavas at the tested concentrations demonstrate its potential in biorational management.

Abstract. Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) is dominant in the main guava’s crops. Guavas are an important host of A. fraterculus for providing a good performance for the immature and high reproductive capacity. We evaluated the performance of A. fraterculus in two guava varieties related to the fruit physicochemical composition under laboratory conditions. Mature-green guavas of “Tailandesa” (red pulp) and “Kumagai” (white pulp) varieties were exposed to forced infestation by A. fraterculus in laboratory. An additional sample of each variety was submitted to physicochemical analysis. Similar quantities of pupae per fruit (128.5 – 156.0) and pupal viability (85.9% and 87.5%) were obtained per variety, but “Kumagai” produced significantly more pupae of A. fraterculus per fruit mass (1000.6 pupae/kg). Pupal weight was higher in “Tailandesa” (115.3 mg/10 pupae) than “Kumagai” (82.6 mg/10 pupae). Significant positive correlations were obtained between pupae per fruit or kg versus adults per kg for both varieties. A positive correlation was observed between pupae per fruit and pupae per kg of “Kumagai” guavas. Peel and pulp firmness were inversely correlated with pupae per fruit and pupae per kg. Weight of 10 pupae of A. fraterculus was correlated with fruit weight of “Tailandesa” guavas. The multivariate analysis PCA showed a relationship between pupae per kg and peel firmness, pulp firmness, Ratio, soluble solids, and titratable acidity in “Kumagai” guava. This explains the higher infestation index pupae per kg and better reproductive performance of A. fraterculus in “Kumagai” guava.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the adulticidal effects of green coffee oil (GCO) and roasted coffee oil (RCO) on two species of fruit flies (Tephritidae) include Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann). Adult flies of both species were exposed to GCO and RCO at 2%, 3%, and 4% dilutions in water under Potter spray tower. In general, exposure to GCO and RCO at the three dilutions resulted in higher numbers of dead adults of both species compared to the control populations. The mortalities increased substantially between 60–90 minutes after initial exposure. The 2% GCO dilution reached a maximum of 77.0% corrected mortality of A. fraterculus at 360 minutes. In general, the toxic effect of coffee oils occurred more rapidly in C. capitata than in A. fraterculus. GCO (2% and 3%) and RCO (2%) showed promising results for fruit fly management.

The knowledge of host plants, distribution and economic importance of Lonchaeidae is scarce in Latin America. We have recovered specimens of Lonchaeidae from most fruit samples containing specimens of Tephritidae. The compilation of information is essential to determine the diversity of species and the relationship with their hosts. In addition to the list of records based on early publications, we add unpublished data of Lonchaeids recovered from plant samples collected in the Instituto Biológico, São Paulo, Brazil. In total, 18 species of Lonchaeidae, belonging to the genera Dasiops, Lonchaea and Neosilba were registered in São Paulo, and associated with 111 host plant species and 27 botanical families. New records are listed and geographical distribution is available by specific maps.