Pupal Eye Color of Peach Fruit Fly Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) as Reference Guide for Radiation Sterilization

Abstract

The pupal eye color of Peach fruit fly Bactrocra zonata (Saunders) was documented at different holding temperatures. When holding mature pupae samples at 19, 25 (standard holding temperature), 28, and 22–34 ºC (natural environment), the development of pupae were 18–19, 9, 7, and 8 d, respectively. Holding pupae at lower temperature delays pupal development and slows down the progression of eye color changes. This is very important in manipulating pupal development, especially when problems occur during sterile insect technique (SIT) operations. The recommended timing of pupal irradiation for B. zonata at 25 ºC is at 2 d before adult emergence, where the pupae are 9 d old and the eye color is dark reddish-brown. Using eye color as a reference guide for irradiation of pupae, the optimum age when held at 19, 28, and 22–34 ºC (natural environment) was 18–19, 7, and 8 d old, respectively. Documented and a close-up photograph of pupal eye color was used as a reference guide to determine the best time for the irradiation of pupae in an SIT program for B. zonata.

Effect of larval diets on the life table parameters of dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) using age-stage two sex life table theory

“…The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a biological strategy to insect pest management that entails releasing a large number of mass-reared and sexually sterile males over a lengthy period of time to reduce the fertility of a population of the same species. Effective control can be achieved if sterile insects are utilized frequently as part of integrated pest management for the entire affected region 16 , 17 .…”