DESIGN AND RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT-FLY (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE) BUCKET TRAPS

We examined responses of male Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capit ata (Wiedemann), to bucket and modified bucket traps with different en trance hole sizes and colors. Except for wild fly captures in bucket t raps, C. capitata captures varied directly with entrance hole size. Th e greatest C. capitata captures were achieved with orange and yellow b ucket traps and orange modified bucket traps. We then compared bucket and modified bucket traps with Jackson and Steiner traps. This study d id not generate the sampling variability data required for a trap cost reliability analysis, so a definitive choice among traps is not yet p ossible, but some practical inferences are possible. The Jackson trap captured the highest numbers of wild flies during a 2-h period, but it is more appropriate for survey than monitoring when C. capitata are a bundant because its capture surface is limited. The yellow and orange bucket traps were more suitable for monitoring large numbers of C. cap itata because of greater fly holding capacities. The modified bucket t rap appears well suited for use in wet environments because of its wat er-resistant design.