Responses of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) to new attractants in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Male fruit fly attractantscue-lure and methyl eugenol (ME)have been used successfully for decades in the monitoring and control of species of Dacini (Dacinae) fruit flies (Bactrocera, Zeugodacus and Dacus). However, many species, including several pests, are non-responsive to these lures. Field tests of new compounds are therefore worthwhile, particularly in areas of high species diversity where multiple species attractions can provide additional information on lure function. Recent field tests of new male attractants (isoeugenol, dihydroeugenol, methyl-isoeugenol and zingerone) and food-and host-based lures (cucumber volatile blend and Cera Trap®) in Australia resulted in discoveries of lure responses for 'non-responsive' species. In this study, these new lures were field tested for the first time in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for attractiveness to 'non-responsive' species, including the guava pest Bactrocera obliqua and cucurbit pests Zeugodacus atrisetosus and Z. decipiens. Testing was conducted in the National Capital District (NCD) and Kerevat on the island province of East New Britain. Of the 'non-responsive' pest species, B. obliqua was trapped three times at isoeugenol and once at methylisoeugenol. This is the first record of B. obliqua responding to male lures. Zeugodacus decipiens was significantly attracted to Cera Trap. Five undescribed species responded to zingerone and one to the eugenol analogues. The ME-responsive B. musae and B. umbrosa responded differently to the three eugenol analogues in Kerevat and NCD, with both species responding more strongly to methyl-isoeugenol in NCD, although their response to ME was similar in both locations. Intraspecific differences in lure response were also noted between this study and that recorded previously in other countries. The cue-responsive B. frauenfeldi, B. neohumeralis and Dacus axanus were previously trapped at zingerone in Australia, and the ME-responsive B. dorsalis was trapped at zingerone in Malaysia, but these species, while caught at their respective lures, were not recorded at zingerone in this study. The findings from this study have implications for quarantine monitoring for the 'non-responsive' B. obliqua and Z. decipiens in Australia, highlight that there may be intraspecific variation in male lure response and provide further information on these novel male lures' activity.

A global checklist of the 932 fruit fly species in the tribe Dacini (Diptera, Tephritidae)

“…We also include known male lure records for each species: cue-lure, methyl eugenol, isoeugenol and zingerone. Zingerone, first reported as a male lure by Tan and Nishida (2000), has received increased attention in recent years, with new lure records, including species not attracted to the two other lures, for a number of species in Australia and Papua New Guinea (Fay 2012, Royer et al 2015, 2017). These records are included in the list, along with previously unpublished new records, indicated as such, from our team’s recent surveys carried out in Taiwan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.…”

Kelimpahan dan Dominansi Lalat Buah (Diptera: Tephritidae) pada Pertanaman Cabai (Capsicum annuum L.), di Desa Paya Benua, Bangka

“…Lalat buah Bactrocera carambolae, Bactrocera dorsalis dan Bactrocera umbrosa umum diperangkap dengan atraktan metil eugenol (Drew & Romig 2012). Menurut Royer et al (2018), metil eugenol merupakan atraktan yang kuat untuk menjebak beberapa spesies lalat buah Bactrocera spp. Hasil penelitian Muryati et al (2008), tingkat preferensi lalat buah B. carambolae dan B. dorsalis terhadap metil eugenol adalah 100%, sedangkan lalat buah B. umbrosa sebesar 96,3%.…”

Descriptions of four new species of Bactrocera and new country records highlight the high biodiversity of fruit flies in Vietnam (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacinae)

“…As part of a project to survey the genetic diversity of potential pest species across Asia and further understand phylogenetic relationships globally (Leblanc et al 2015b, 2016), our team carried out Dacini fruit fly surveys in Vietnam in 2015 and 2017. A number of new country records and undescribed new species were uncovered, greatly aided by the inclusion of the male lure zingerone (Royer 2015, Royer et al 2017) in the trapping. Four new species, which were also included under temporary species names in a recently published phylogeny (San Jose et al 2018), are described here.…”