ATTRACTION OF CARPOPHILUS SPP (COLEOPTERA, NITIDULIDAE) TO SYNTHETIC AGGREGATION PHEROMONES AND HOST-RELATED COATTRACTANTS IN AUSTRALIAN STONE FRUIT ORCHARDS - BEETLE PHENOLOGY AND PHEROMONE DOSE STUDIES

Synthetic aggregation pheromones of Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) and Ca rpophilus mutilatus Erichson were field tested during a 10-month perio d in southern New South Wares stone fruit orchards to determine Carpop hilus spp. phenology and the effect of two pheromone doses on attracti on. Aggregation pheromones synergize the attraction of host volatiles to Carpophilus spp. Four major species, C. hemipterus, C. mutilatus, C . davidsoni Dobson and C. (Urophorus) humeralis (F.), were trapped, wi th greater numbers of each species in C. hemipterus pheromone/fermenti ng whole-wheat bread-dough-baited traps, than in dough-only-traps. In C. mutilatus pheromone/fermenting-dough-baited traps, only C. mutilatu s and C. davidsoni responded in greater numbers than to dough-only tra ps. Beetles first appeared in traps in late September (early spring) w hen daily maximum temperatures averaged 17.5 degrees C. Trappings reac hed a peak during October and declined to very low levels in November- December (late spring-early summer). Numbers trapped of all species in creased during February-March (late summer-early autumn), presumably d ue to the presence of abundant host resources (ripening and fallen fru it), and continued at high levels until May (late autumn). An IS-week study demonstrated significantly greater responses by Carpophilus spp. to 5000-mu g than to 500-mu g doses of C. hemipterus and C. mutilatus pheromones. Greatest responses to 5000 mu g were recorded for C. hemi pterus and C. mutilatus responding to their own pheromones (increased attraction over dough alone of 259 x and 21.2 x, respectively). Implic ations of the study and the potential for using synthetic aggregation pheromones for managing Carpophilus spp. populations in Australian sto ne fruit are discussed.