ATTRACTION OF AUSTRALIAN CARPOPHILUS SPP (COLEOPTERA, NITIDULIDAE) TOSYNTHETIC PHEROMONES AND FERMENTING BREAD DOUGH

Data are presented on the attraction of nitidulid beetles (primarily C arpophilus spp.) to synthetic aggregation pheromone, pheromone plus fe rmenting bread dough or dough alone, in an apricot orchard in southern New South Wales during November- March. The combination of pheromone and bread dough was significantly more effective than either type of b ait alone. Synthetic pheromone of Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) increase d attraction of this species to dough by 1 15 times. Low order (1.7-3. 2 times increase) cross-attraction of Carpophilus mutilatus Erichson, Carpophilus davidsoni Dobson and Carpophilus (Urophorus) humeralis (F. ) also occurred to the combination. Synthetic pheromone of C. mutilatu s increased the attraction of this species to dough by up to 17 times and appeared to be most effective early in the season. C. davidsoni an d C. humeralis also responded to this pheromone (1.6-5.6 times increas e). All species showed some cross-attraction to synthetic pheromones o f three North American Carpophilus spp. The potential for using synthe tic pheromones in the management of nitidulid beetles in stone fruit o rchards is discussed.