Relationship between field captures of Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and the residual amount and release rate of trimedlure from polymeric plugs
Abstract
Detection of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), relies heavily on traps baited with trimedlure, a male-specific attractant. Originally used as a liquid, trimedlure is now dispensed from solid polymeric plugs (2 g active ingredient) that reduce volatilization and increase the effective longevity of the lure. Even so, plugs are attractive over a relatively short interval, and guidelines suggest that trimedlure plugs be replaced every 6 wk. The present study had 2 goals. First, at periodic intervals up to 10 or 12 wk, we evaluated the performance of plugs containing 4 g of trimedlure (i.e., twice the standard amount) to determine whether the increased loading resulted in an increased period of effective attractiveness. Second, we examined the relationship between trap captures and temporal changes in the residual amount and release rate of trimedlure. In 2 of the 3 field trials conducted in Hawaii and Florida, 4 g plugs weathered for as long as 8 wk, but not for 10 or 12 wk, performed as well as fresh liquid trimedlure applied to cotton wicks. In the other trial, plugs weathered for as long as 12 wk were as effective as fresh liquid. Chemical analyses revealed that the plugs were effective until the residual amount of trimedlure decreased below approximately 1.4 g and the release rate dropped below approximately 2.0 mg per h. The potential usefulness of 4 g trimedlure plugs in large-scale detection programs is discussed considering these findings.
Resumen
La detección de la mosca mediterránea de la fruta (moscamed), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), depende en gran medida de trampas cebadas con trimedlure, un atrayente específico para machos. Utilizado originalmente como líquido, el trimedlure ahora se dispensa a partir de tapones poliméricos sólidos (2 g de ingrediente activo) que reducen la volatilización y aumentan la longevidad efectiva del señuelo. Aun así, los tapones son atractivos durante un intervalo relativamente corto, y las pautas sugieren que los tapones trimedlure se reemplacen cada 6 semanas. El presente estudio tuvo 2 objetivos. Primero, a intervalos periódicos de hasta 10 o 12 semanas, evaluamos el desempeño de los tapones que contenían 4 g de trimedlure (es decir, el doble de la cantidad estándar) para determinar si el aumento de la carga resultó en un mayor período de atractivo efectivo. En segundo lugar, examinamos la relación entre las capturas de trampas y los cambios temporales en la cantidad residual y la tasa de liberación de trimedlure. En 2 de los 3 ensayos de campo realizados en Hawái y Florida, los tapones de 4 g resistidos durante 8 semanas, pero no durante 10 o 12 semanas, funcionaron tan bien como trimedlure líquido fresco aplicado a mechas de algodón. En el otro ensayo, los tapones expuestos a la intemperie durante 12 semanas fueron tan efectivos como los líquidos frescos. Los análisis químicos revelaron que los tapones fueron efectivos hasta que la cantidad residual de trimedlure disminuyó por debajo de aproximadamente 1,4 g y con la tasa de liberación cayendo por debajo de aproximadamente 2,0 mg por hora. La utilidad potencial de los tapones de trimedlure de 4 g en los programas de detección a gran escala se discute considerando estos hallazgos.
Key Words: Ceratitis capitata; male lure; detection; trapping
View this article on BioOne
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.