Biological control has been the most commonly researched control tactic within fruit fly management programs. For the first time, a review is carried out covering parasitoids and predators of fruit flies (Tephritidae) from the Americas and Hawaii, presenting the main biological control programs in this region. In this work, 31 species of fruit flies of economic importance are considered in the genera Anastrepha (11), Rhagoletis (14), Bactrocera (4), Ceratitis (1), and Zeugodacus (1). In this study, a total of 79 parasitoid species of fruit flies of economic importance are listed and, from these, 50 are native and 29 are introduced. A total of 56 species of fruit fly predators occur in the Americas and Hawaii.

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) is one of the major pests of fruit crops in Argentina and it is a phytosanitary barrier to the export of fresh fruits. In the Province of San Juan, located in the central-eastern region of Argentina known as Cuyo, control strategies against Medfly in fruit-producing irrigated-valleys have been implemented by the National Fruit Fly Control and Eradication Program (ProCEM) jointly with the provincial government and the producers. This program uses an area-wide integrated pest management approach that includes the use of environment-friendly strategies to suppress or eradicate Medfly, such as the use

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Coptera haywardi (Ogloblin) is a pupal endoparasitoid of tephritid flies with great potential as a biological control agent worldwide as it does not attack other Diptera. To reach its full potential, its mass rearing needs to be enhanced lowering costs. Here, we focused on the use of irradiated pupae of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) stemming from the temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) Vienna-8 genetic sexing strain (= CcVienna-8), which is mass-produced in the San Juan Medfly and Parasitoid Mass Rearing Facility in Argentina. Exposure of 1- to 2-d-old CcVienna-8 pupae irradiated at 90 Gy to 6- to 8-d-old C. haywardi females at a 10:1 host/parasitoid ratio for 24 h turned out to be highly successful for the rearing of this parasitoid. High radiation doses (90–100 Gy) did not adversely influence fitness parameters of C. haywardi offspring F1, namely lifetime reproductive rates, adult life expectancy, and survival time. Demographic parameters in C. haywardi F1 from irradiated CcVienna-8 young pupae were improved compared to those values recorded from parasitoid originated from nonirradiated CcVienna-8 pupae. These findings will help to enhance parasitoid mass rearing for augmentative releases against medfly in Argentinean fruit-producing regions.

The Neotropical‐native figitid Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) and the Asian braconid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) are two parasitoids of Tephritidae fruit flies with long and recent, respectively, evolutionary histories in the Neotropics. Both species experienced a recent range of overlap. In Argentina, A. pelleranoi is a potential species in biological control programs against the pestiferous tephritid species, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), whereas D. longicaudata is already used in open‐field releases against Medfly in central‐western Argentina. To characterize the host‐foraging strategies of A. pelleranoi and D. longicaudata, olfactometer experiments were conducted comparing responses to C. capitata and A. fraterculus larvae, in two kinds of food substrate: fruit and artificial larval medium. To control the possible influence of host larvae used for parasitoid rearing on olfactory response, two strains of both parasitoid species, reared on both tephrtid species, were studied. Volatiles directly emanating either from A. fraterculus or C. capitata larvae may be detected by both A. pelleranoi and D. longicaudata, although chemical stimuli originating from the combination of host larvae and the habitat of the host were preferred. However, olfactory cues associated with host larvae probably play a relevant role in host searching behaviour of A. pelleranoi, whereas for D. longicaudata, the host‐habitat olfactory stimuli would be highly essential in short‐range host location. The strain of the parasitoids did not affect host search ability on the two tephritid species evaluated. These evidences are relevant for mass production of both parasitoids and their impact following open‐field augmentative releases.

Doses of 40, 80, 120, and 160 Gy were applied to 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-day-old Anastrepha obliqua larvae, which were exposed to the Neotropical-native braconids Doryctobracon crawfordi and Utetes anastrephae and the Asian braconid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. These tests were performed to know the effect of the increase in host radiation on the emergence of the aforementioned parasitoids and the related consequences of oviposition on the host. The study was based on the fact that higher radiation doses may cause a decrease in the host immune activity. There was a direct relationship between the increase in radiation dose and the parasitoid emergence. Both, the weight and the mortality of the host larvae were not affected by radiation. Although the larval weight of the larvae was lower and the mortality was higher in the younger larvae. Both, the number of scars and immature stages per host puparium originated from the younger larvae were lower than those from older larvae. Only U. anastrephae superparasitized more at lower radiation. Superparasitism by D. longicaudata was more frequent at 160 Gy. Qualitative measurements of melanin in the larvae parasitized showed that the levels were lower with increasing radiation. As radiation doses increased, the antagonistic response of the A. obliqua larva was reduced. Host larvae aged 5- and 6-day-old irradiated at 120–160 Gy significantly improve parasitoid emergence. This evidence is relevant for the mass production of the three tested parasitoid species.