Development of Lures for Detection and Delimitation of Invasive Species ANASTREPHA Fruit Flies

Development of female-biased synthetic attractants for fruit flies offers considerable opportunities for fruit fly management programs. Traps baited with a food-based synthetic attractant composed of ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine are being used to detect and delimit populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. Current research is being conducted in 14 countries via an FAO/IAEA-sponsored Coordinated Research Project to determine the utility of this synthetic attractant for detection of other fruit flies, particularly those in the genus Anastrepha. These include tests of four species of concern to the Caribbean basin: the Mexican fruit fly, A. ludens; the West Indian fruit fly, A. obliqua\ the guava fruit fly, A. striata; and the sapote fruit fly, A. serpentina. Results of tests conducted in Columbia, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Mexico found that the highest capture tended to be in traps baited with liquid protein (11 out of 15 tests); in the other four tests highest capture was in traps baited with ammonium acetate-based synthetic attractants. The role of ammonia release rate from preferred baits and the development of improved attractants for these species are discussed.