[en] Experiments were conducted to find the most effective combination of traps and lures for use in two different climates - the coastal and the desert regions of Israel. Three trials were conducted following the IAEA CRP- phase 4 protocol. Two simultaneous trials were carried out around June 1997. One was in a citrus grove in Tsrifin, the coastal region, and the other in a mango grove in Hatseva, the Arava Valley, a desert region where there has been on ongoing SIT program since January 1998. A third trial was also conducted in Tsrifin, at the same location as the first trial, but during February 1998. In all trials, the International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT) with NuLure + borax (NU+B) was the standard trap. The FA-3 attractants (ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine) were used with water and surfactant Triton-X (wet version) or without water but with DDVP (dry version) in IPMT and Tephri traps. Treatments and traps included in the trials were: IPMT, FA-3, wet; IPMT, FA-3, dry; Tephri, FA-3, dry; Tephri, FA-3, wet. The results of these trials indicated that, at both locations, medfly populations differed greatly - 153 versus 82,500 flies at Hatseva and Tsrifin, respectively. All traps caught more females than males. At Tsrifin, the Tephri, FA-3 traps outperformed the IPMT, NU+B, capturing 4 to 5 times more than standard (IPMT,NU+B). The addition of water to the traps at this location resulted in a slight decrease in captures. At Hatseva, the addition of water improved capturing in both IPMT and Tephri traps. Replacing the water with ethylene glycol resulted in the highest capture level indicating the importance of humidity to the trap performance. (author)

[en] The main objective of the study was to assess Ceratitis capitata Wied. (medfly) female trapping with new traps and attractants in varying ecological conditions as part of a co-ordinated international programme. Trials were carried out between 1995 and 1997, using seven types of traps baited with the various combination of sexual and food attractants. Different methods for insects retention were also tested. For these trials, protocols established by the International Atomic Energy Agency were followed. The Jackson Trap with Trimedlure plugs proved to be the most efficient for capture of medfly males, while International Pheromone's McPhail Trap was the most efficient for the capture of females, when used with a combination of all three new attractants (FA-3) consisting of ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine plus the toxicant DDVP for insect retention. The new traps and attractants also captured flies belonging to genus Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae). (author)

[en] This paper contains information on a four-year research programme co-ordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The main objective of the programme was to develop a trapping system for females of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), for practical use in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs and to design and evaluate a trap to obtain eggs from wild female medflies in order to estimate sterility induction in the field population. The experiments were conducted from July to September 1994-1997 on the island of Chios, Greece, in citrus orchards with low to medium medfly populations. Different trap types and several trap treatments consisting of sex and food based attractants were tested, following a standard coordinated experimental protocol. The most extensively tested were three food based 'female' attractants (FA-3), namely ammonium acetate (AA), 1,4 diaminobutane (putrescine) and trimethylamine, all formulated in dispensers lasting one month. These attractants were evaluated in combinations of two (AA + putrescine, termed FA-2) or three (FA-3) dispensers in various traps, including dry (provided with DDVP) or wet (provided with water and 0.01% surfactant) plastic International Pheromone's McPhail traps (IPMT). Among the various traps and treatments tested, the most effective for medfly capture was the wet IPMT, baited with FA-3 attractants. This treatment captured predominantly females and was relatively selective for medflies. In dry IPMT traps, the FA-3 were as effective as the standard 300 ml aqueous solution of 9% of the protein NuLure and 3% borax, but much more medfly selective. Dry IPMT traps were also more selective than wet ones. FA-3 baited wet Tephri traps (a Spanish modification of the McPhail trap), performed somewhat poorer than IPMT traps. Other dry trap types tested were not effective. Additional experiments showed that certain insecticide formulations used in dry traps may have a repellent effect to the flies. Slightly modified wet or dry IPMT traps baited with the FA-3 could be readily used to capture live medfly females. The fertility of these females could later be assessed in cages with appropriate oviposition devises to measure the degree of sterility induced in the field populations by SIT programs. (author)

[en] In four years of research, we evaluated different traps (McPhail, Tephri, Closed-bottom dry trap, Open-bottom dry trap, and Frutect), lures (FA-2 and FA-3 synthetic lures composed of ammonium acetate + putrescine, and ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine, respectively), and insect retention methods (water, sticky inserts, insecticides) to develop a selective trapping system for female Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wiedemann) sterility assessment. The trapping systems were compared with protein-baited McPhail traps, which are the standard method for C. capitata female capture, during eight to fifteen week trials in coffee and orthanique orange plantations at two different localities in Honduras. Trimedlure-baited Jackson traps were also used as the standard indicator of the C. capitata populations. The Closed-bottom trap baited with the two-component synthetic lure captured eight to twelve times fewer C. capitata than the Jackson trap. The McPhail trap and the modified Open-bottom trap, both baited with the two-component synthetic lure, captured 1.6 to 3.5 times more C. capitata females than the protein-baited McPhail trap. The addition of trimethylamine to the two-component synthetic lure resulted in 9.8 to 15.8 times increases in C. capitata female capture over the protein-baited McPhail trap. The presence of water in McPhail or Tephri traps did not affect the capture of C. capitata females. Throughout the study, all female-targeted trapping systems captured the same proportion of females. (author)

[en] This report contains information from a four-year research programme co-ordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The objective of the programme was to develop a trapping system for females of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), for practical use in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs and to design and evaluate a trap to obtain eggs from wild female medflies in order to estimate sterility induction in the field population. Spain (through INIA) participated in this programme because of interest in the control of medfly in this area of the Mediterranean. Citrus, peaches, plums, apricots and other subtropical fruits are some of the cultures which are severely attacked by this pest. To facilitate comparison of results, all the trials of 1994 - 97 were carried out in the same orchards. These orchards were located near the Malaga airport in the south of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. Female medfly attractants tested were three food based 'female' attractants (FA-3), namely ammonium acetate (AA), 1,4 diaminobutane (putrescine) and trimethylamine, all formulated to last at least one month. These attractants were evaluated either in combinations of two (AA + putrescine, termed FA-2) or all three (termed FA-3). The attractants were tested in various traps including the plastic International Pheromone's McPhail traps (IPMT) and Tephri traps, a Spanish trap similar to the IPMT. Traps were used either as a dry trap (provided with DDVP) or a wet trap (provided with water and 0.01% surfactant). Jackson traps with Trimedlure JT,TML), a routinely used male medfly trapping system, was also used. Based on the results of successive years, we can observe progress towards the project goals. In 1994, the development of the FA-2 attractants (P+AA) with their selectivity for female medflies was a significant effort towards reaching future goals. The synergism of trimethylamine with the FA-2 attractants, yielding the FA-3 attractants (P+AA+TMA), used with the new Tephri Trap produced very good results in 1996. There were no doubt about the results of the different traps and attractants in this year. At last, the experiment of 1997 demonstrated the efficiency of both traps (Tephri and IPMT) with or without water inside the trap. The choice of which trap to use will depend, perhaps, on the temperature or humidity of the local climate, but both always gave excellent results. We now have an excellent trap and attractant to capture medfly females to assure good control of the pest. Killing the first overwintering generation of medfly females by a mass trapping method will provide a powerful tool to avoid big populations in the summer and fall in countries with moderate climates. (author)

[en] With the availability of genetic sexing strains of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), it is possible to release only sterile males in SIT programs. The availability of a new female medfly attractant can reduce labor costs because program progress can be monitored by trapping females instead of the usual male trapping with its labor intensive identification of sterile and wild males. Three Madeira studies evaluated new female attractants; ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine. One study was carried out in the same area during two different periods of 1996 (8 June to 27 July and 12 October to 30 November). A second study was conducted between 24 May to 05 July, 1997, in two different areas at the same altitude. One area had a wild fly population (sex ratio 1: 1) and the other was in an area where sterile males were released (sex ratio > 9: 1). The third study, conducted from 18 October to 29 November, 1997, compared wild fly captures at low elevations (80 m) with those at high elevations (700 m). The first study showed that the inclusion of the attractant trimethylamine significantly increased the wild female medfly. The percentage of medfly females in the traps with the two and the three attractants (FA-2 and FA-3) was more than 70%. In the second and third studies, the dry traps were more effective than wet traps in capturing wild medfly females. In areas with only wild females, the percentage of females captured was more than 62%. In areas where sterile males were released, the percentage of females captured was between 12% and 19%. In conclusion, the new attractants captured high percentages of females and, when combined with medfly genetic sexing strains, can reduce program costs significantly. (author)

[en] With the aim of developing a system of attractants and trapping to optimize the capture of female Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) as well as other fruit flies, six experiments were carried out during the period 1994-1997, in a sterile-insect release zone in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico. Relating to the system of attractants, the evaluation focused on the comparison of food attractants (i.e. ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine) with standard attractants, such as Trimedlure and liquid hydrolyzed protein. For the trapping system, dry traps (Jackson trap, Open bottom dry trap, etc.) as well as wet traps (McPhail trap, Tephri trap, etc.) were tested alternately with the different kinds of attractants. The experiments were performed in agrosystems of coffee and groves of citrus and mango. Results consistently showed that a combination of ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine was the best for the capture of female Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) when used in traps such as the OBDT and the plastic McPhail trap (IPMT), while for Anastrepha spp., the McPhail trap baited with liquid hydrolyzed protein still appears to be the best option, although the combination of ammonium acetate with putrescine was quite consistent in the trapping of A. obliqua and A. ludens in traps such as the IPMT. (author)

[en] Several species of fruit flies cause serious losses to fleshy fruits in Mauritius. Due to fruit production being confined mainly to backyard gardens, traditional methods of control do not give satisfactory results. Full cover sprays with chemicals also pose potential environmental and health risks. Alternative control methods were developed and an area-wide control programme was conceived, using bait application to bring down fruit fly population, followed by intensive trapping of males, using pheromones, to keep the population at low levels. An effective attractant system for mass trapping of females integrated into the wide area programme would greatly enhance control. The use of synthetic food-based attractants for trapping Ceratitis capitata and other fruit fly species was investigated in two phases and compared with different trapping systems. In the Phase III experiments, a two component lure, ammonium acetate + putrescine (FA-2) and a three component lure, ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine (FA-3) were tested in different traps and compared with standard liquid protein-baited International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT). Frutect trap, Tephri-trap and Jackson trap with Trimedlure were also used. The medfly female catch with the FA-3 lure used in the Open Bottom Dry Trap outnumbered the catches in other traps. In Phase IV, the final year of the trial, the FA-3 lure was tested in wet and dry IPMT and Tephri traps. These were compared with IPMT containing NuLure + borax (NU+B) as standard and with locally developed traps. The FA-3 lure gave the highest catches of female medflies in the IPMT with water as retaining device followed by IPMT with DDVP, although catches were not significantly different from IPMT with NU+B. (author)

[en] Experiments were conducted from 1994 - 1998 to test the attractiveness of combinations of food-based chemicals for C. capitata (medfly) in Guatemala. Most studies were done in coffee. The 1995 studies, using the FA-2 attractants (ammonium acetate and putrescine) showed that this combination was attractive for females and had potential for use in conjunction with a SIT program. The 1996 studies at three elevations demonstrated that, in general, these attractants, when used in either the Open Bottom Dry Trap (OBDT), Closed Bottom Dry Trap (CBDT), or International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT) performed better than the Jumbo McPhail trap (JMT) baited with NuLure and borax (NU+B) for capture of feral females. At the high elevation (1400 m), the IPMT with FA-2 and OBDT with FA-2 were best; at the middle elevation (1100 m), the ORDT, IPMT, and CBDT with FA-2 were best; and at low elevations (659 m), the IPMT with FA-2, JMT with NU+B and ORDT with FA-2 were equal in performance. At the middle elevation, using sterile flies, the OBDT with FA-2 worked best. When experiments were carried out in pear, the traps using the FA-2 attractants captured more female flies than the JMT, NU+B, but not significantly more. During the 1997 trials, a third component, trimethylamine was added to the two component lure (FA-3). This attractant was tested in a number of locally produced traps using 2 I soft drink bottles with different color bottoms. The dry versions of the traps contained a yellow sticky insert. All study sites were at low elevation 600 - 650 m, in coffee, testing both sterile and feral flies. With the feral flies during the first phase of the study at finca San Carlos, there were no significant differences between treatments, at finca San Luis, the clear local trap with sticky insert and the green local trap with sticky insert were best, and at finca Valapraiso, the green local trap with yellow sticky insert and yellow local trap with sticky insert captured more flies. During the second phase of the study, only finca Valparaiso reported significant differences. Here the IPMT, FA-3 with sticky insert and the clear local trap with sticky insert worked best. For sterile flies, the Jackson trap with Trimedlure (JT, TML) and a locally made OBDT, FA-3 with yellow sticky insert were best at finca San Carlos, the JT, TML and the yellow local trap with sticky insert were best at finca San Luis and the JT, TML and the green local trap with yellow sticky inset captured most flies at finca Valparaiso. For some unexplained reason, all wet versions of the traps performed poorly. In pear, the Tephri, FA-3, wet performed best, followed by the wet, yellow local traps without and with the yellow sticky insert, respectively. Trials were also conducted to construct egging devices for sterility assessment. Females did lay eggs into various artificial substrates. However, both mated and unmated feral females laid eggs into agar balls, so, unless mating events are recorded, per cent egg hatch and number of eggs produced per female. (author)

[en] The report contains data from experiments conducted in Mallorca in collaboration with the Year 4 Experiments of the Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on Development of Medfly Female Attractants. In the last year of the program, research focused on testing three female attractants (FA-3: putrescine, ammonium acetate, and trimethylamine) in plastic International Pheromone's McPhail traps (IPMT) or Tephri traps (a Spanish version of the IPMT). Traps were either used as dry traps (provided with DDVP) or wet traps (provided with water and 0.01% surfactant). Field trials were carried out in an unmanaged citrus orchard of about 14 ha situated at sea level in the south of the island of Mallorca, about 7 km from Palma. The experimental orchard was a mixed citrus orchard of 3 ha and included tangerines, navel and navelate varieties. Two experiments were carried out. The first was with cold temperatures and a high population level (about 12 flies/trap/day) in October, November and December 1997. The second was with warm temperatures and a low population level (< 1.4 flies/trap/day) in April and May 1998. Treatments and traps included in both trials were: IPMT, FA-3, wet; IPMT, FA-3, dry; Tephri, FA-3, dry; IPMT, NU+B (IPMT trap baited with NuLure 9% and borax 3%); Tephri, FA-3, wet; and De, TML (a yellow delta trap baited with Trimedlure). The methodology followed was that described in the IAEA protocol. Fly captures were expressed as numbers of flies or flies/trap/day (F/T/D). Based on results from both studies, the Tephri, FA-3, wet was the most efficient for capturing female medflies in cool temperatures and high population conditions as well as in moderate temperatures and low population conditions. Although Tephri, FA-3, wet was the most efficient, we recommend the use of the Tephri, FA-3, dry as being the best choice for female trapping in Balearic conditions because of several drawbacks for the use of the Tephri trap as a wet trap. These included: capture of high numbers of non targeted insects (some of them beneficials); small capacity for water, which evaporated quickly under the weather conditions of Mallorca; and the size of the FA-3 lures. Trials under different conditions showed that trap design, climatic conditions, population density and fruit availability have a great influence on female capture by FA-3 baited traps. The low male capture capacity showed by FA-3 makes it adequate for using in SIT programs, although massive male releases could modify this results. The FA-3 treatments captured both mated and unmated females. Thus, these attractants may be useful to assess the sterility status of female wild population in SIT programs. FA-3 baited traps seemed to be able to detect female medfly at low population levels as well as to monitor growing population better than TML. (author)