First record of Rhagoletis cingulata in Austria
A survey on non-European cherry fruit fly species, Rhagoletis cingulata (Diptera: Tephritidae - EPPO A2 List) and Rhagoletis indifferens (EPPO A1 List) was carried out during the cherry growing seasons of 2007 and 2008 in Austria. The likelihood of detection of R. cingulata was expected to be high, since the species was recently detected in neighbouring countries (such as Croatia, Germany and Hungary). The opposite was expected for R. indifferens which has not been detected in Europe (all previous records were misidentifications of R. cingulata). The survey was carried out at 11 sampling sites in 2007 and 6 in 2008. Sampling sites were located in Vienna and in the provinces of Burgenland and Steiermark which are the main cherry-growing areas. Yellow sticky traps were placed in single cherry trees, small backyard orchards and in large-scale commercial orchards. In 2007, 2 specimens of R. cingulata (all others were R. cerasi) were caught in traps placed in P. avium trees at 2 different locations (Vienna and Steiermark). In 2008, R. cerasi was caught again in large numbers but not R. cingulata. It is not known whether the findings made in 2007 correspond to established populations (at low levels) or to accidental introductions from countries where R. cingulata occurs. This is the first time that R. cingulata is reported from Austria. R. indifferens was not caught during this survey.
The situation of Rhagoletis cingulata in Austria can be described as follows: Present, 2 specimens were caught on Prunus avium in 2007 (Vienna and Steiermark), not caught in 2008.
Sources
Egartner A, Zeisner N, Hausdorf H, Blümel S (2010) First record of Rhagoletis cingulata (Loew) (Dipt., Tephritidae) in Austria. Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 40(1), 158-162.