Development of traps for Ceratitis capitata and Anastrepha ludens
An insect trap for monitoring populations of Ceratitis capitata (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) and Anastrepha ludens (EPPO A1 quarantine pest) has been developed, tested in the field in Guatemala and compared with McPhail traps. This trap is constructed with clear plastic rolled into a cylinder which is painted (yellow, orange, or green), with entrance holes for the insects. Toxicant panels, painted and containing a pesticide (methomyl) and a feeding stimulant (sucrose), are placed at the two ends of the cylinder. The trap is also baited with a blend of ammonium acetate and putrescine (1,4 diaminobutane). The results showed that a combination of ammonium acetate and putrescine was better than one of these compounds alone. More female C. capitata were trapped in green traps than colourless traps, males were more attracted by yellow traps than by orange traps. Neither males or females of A. ludens differentiated between orange, green and yellow traps, but all were more attracted by any coloured traps than colourless traps. McPhail traps with standard protein bait captured more A. ludens than the plastic traps. But for C. capitata equivalent numbers were caught by McPhail and plastic traps. Nevertheless, the authors pointed out that plastic traps are much easier to handle than McPhail traps. In addition they are highly specific as they caught few non-target flies. During the field studies several other Anastrepha species were also captured: A. obliqua, A. serpentina, A. fraterculus and A. striata. The EPPO Secretariat had previously no information of the occurrence of A. striata in Guatemala.
Sources
Heath, R.; Epsky, N.D.; Guzman, A.; Dueben, B.D.; Manukian, A.; Meyer, W.L. (1995) Development of a dry plastic insect trap with food-based synthetic attractant for the Mediterranean and Mexican fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Journal of Economic Entomology, 88(5), 1307-1315.