Journal of Economic Entomology (2018) 111, 1318-1322

Roger I. Vargas, Jaime C. Piñero and Neil W. Miller (2018)
Effect of physiological state on female melon fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) attraction to host and food odor in the field
Journal of Economic Entomology 111 (3), 1318-1322
Abstract: Foraging behavior of wild female melon fly, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) cucurbitae Coquillett, a worldwide pest of economically important cucurbit crops, was examined through mark and recapture studies in both wild (Kona: dominated by the invasive weed ivy gourd, Coccinea grandis [L.] Voigt [Cucurbitaceae]), and cultivated (Kapoho: dominated by papaya, Carica papaya L. [Caricaceae] orchards) habitats on Hawaii Island. In particular, the extent to which wild melon flies and color-marked F₂ females responded to cucumber odor and Solulys yeast hydrolysate laced with ammonium acetate (1%, wt/vol) according to sexual maturity stage and degree of protein hunger was documented. Kona results indicated that more wild and color-marked F₂ females responded to cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. [Cucurbitaceae]) odor than to protein odor with the exception of captured wild flies without eggs, which responded similarly to protein bait and cucumber odor. Results with captured wild females and color-marked F₂ females in Kapoho suggested a significant preference for cucumber odor over protein odor regardless of whether or not they had eggs in their ovaries with the exception of protein-deprived color-marked F₂ females, which responded to both odors in equal numbers. Implications of these new findings based on wild melon flies in natural habitats are discussed with respect to integrated pest management control strategies with protein bait sprays used in Hawaii. The possibility of adding cucurbit volatiles to protein-based baits is discussed.
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Database assignments for author(s): Roger I. Vargas, Jaime C. Pinero

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Zeugodacus cucurbitae	Papaya (Carica papaya)	U.S.A. (Hawaii)