TESTING HUMAN URINE AS A LOW-TECH BAIT FOR ANASTREPHA SPP. (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) IN SMALL GUAVA, MANGO, SAPODILLA AND GRAPEFRUIT ORCHARDS

Abstract

We evaluated the attractiveness of three aqueous dilutions of human urine (HU 50, 25, and 12.5%) to adults of pestiferous and nonpestiferous Anastrepha species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in small guava, grapefruit, mango, and sapodilla orchards with glass McPhail traps. As control treatments we used a commercially available hydrolyzed protein bait (Captor Plus®) and tap water. In the guava orchard, the three urine dilutions were as effective as hydrolyzed protein in attracting A. fraterculus. Also, when 25 and 50% urine were used, 93 and 96%, respectively, of the adults captured were females. In the grapefruit orchard, protein-baited traps captured significantly more A. ludens than urine-baited traps. In the mango orchard, both A. obliqua and A. serpentina were more attracted to hydrolyzed protein than to any other bait treatment. In the sapodilla orchard, traps baited with 50% urine surpassed all other treatments in the capture of A. serpentina and A. obliqua. Our findings indicate that human urine performs as well or better than hydrolyzed protein in certain types of orchards. They also support the notion that there is no “universal” Anastrepha bait. We conclude that human urine is a viable, low-tech alternative Anastrepha bait for subsistence or low income, small-scale fruit growers in rural Latin America.

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