Response of male fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) to various food essences in Methyl Eugenol and Cue-Lure baited traps

Abstract

The role of food essences to enhance the efficacy of baited fruit fly traps were studied at Malakandair Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan against the major fruit fly species of fruits and vegetables. In two experiments, the desire food essences were added to Methyl Eugenol (ME) baited and Cue Lure (CL) baited traps. Mean population for treatments showed that Mango essence added ME- traps attracted significantly highest population of B. zonatus (23.5 flies) followed by Pine apple essence traps (23.0). Least number of B. zonatus (16.5) was killed in the control-traps. Significantly higher number (9.47) of B. dorsalis was captured in Pineapple and Mango essence added traps as compared to a lower number of 6.49 by Raspberry essence added traps. In the CL baited traps, highest numbers of 18.33 and 13.93 B. cucurbitae were killed by Raspberry and Pine apple essence added traps respectively as compared to the control-traps (7.67). Population trends of the three species are also reported.