EFFECT OF SOURCE AND CONDITION OF ANIMAL EXCREMENT ON ATTRACTIVENESS TO ADULTS OF CERATITIS-CAPITATA (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE)

On potted host trees in field cages, we evaluated effects of source an d condition of excrement from domestic and feral animals on attractive ness to released laboratory-cultured and wild Mediterranean fruit flie s (medflies), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Compared with PIB-7, whi ch is a widely used proteinaceous attractant in bait sprays against me dflies, droppings from domestic gamecocks, gamehens, chickens, and fer al geckos (lizards) were significantly more attractive, droppings from feral Myna birds were equally attractive, and droppings from horses, cows, goats, and pigs were significantly less attractive. All of these substances were significantly more attractive than water alone. Gamec ock droppings collected within 24 h of deposition proved most attracti ve when tested a few hours after collection or 1 d after removal from cold storage. They were less attractive when tested 2-3 d after collec tion or a few hours after removal from cold storage. Differences in at tractiveness among droppings may be attributed to differences in nitro gen excretion systems and diets among animals from which droppings wer e collected and to differences in composition and quantity of bacteria associated with droppings. We conclude that chemically characterizing the odor of relatively fresh droppings from birds such as gamefowl or chickens receiving high-protein diets could lead to improved lures fo r monitoring or eventually controlling C. capitata females.