Feeding and Survivorship of Blueberry Maggot Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on Protein Baits Incorporated with Insecticides

Abstract

Laboratory feeding trials evaluated fly survivorship on six insecticides (acetamiprid, clothianidin, deltamethrin, fipronil, imidacloprid, and spinosad) incorporated at 4, 40, and 400 ppm in protein baits. Higher concentrations of insecticides resulted in increased fly mortality. At all concentrations of insecticides in baits, except those on deltamethrin, there was a significantly higher mortality 4 d after the initial feeding, compared with flies that fed on a control bait. The presence of clothianidin or imidacloprid in baits led to significantly less feeding compared with a control bait without insecticide. There were no feeding deterrent effects of bait containing either fipronil or spinosad compared with a control bait without insecticide. Exposure of flies to fresh bait containing 40 ppm of acetamiprid, clothianidin, or imidacloprid, resulted in significantly more flies becoming knocked down than the control. Baits containing 40 ppm of fipronil or spinosad resulted in higher levels of fly mortality than baits containing either neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, clothianidin, or imidacloprid) or no insecticide for trials with fresh and 1-d-old bait with unlimited exposure. At the rates tested baits containing deltamethrin resulted in no fly knockdown and always had the lowest mortality of any insecticide treatment. The tradeoffs between insecticides capable of knockdown and mortality are discussed as they relate to management of R. mendax.

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