Evaluation of synthetic food-based attractants for female Mediterranean fruit flies (Dipt., Tephritidae) in McPhail type traps

During summer 1997 field experiments were conducted on the island of Chios, Greece, to compare captures of female Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) , Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in traps baited with either synthetic fem ale-targeted lures or a standard protein bait (NuLure and borax). The synth etic lures contained ammonium acetate,1,4 diaminobutane (putrescine), and t rimethylamine. Two trap types (International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT ) and the Tephri trap) were tested as either wet or dry. Wet IPMT traps bai ted with the synthetic attractants were the most attractive of all trap com binations tested and captured 2.1 times more female medflies and 1.8 times more total medflies than traps baited with NuLure and borax. Traps containi ng the synthetic attractant captured approximately 4.6 times fewer nontarge t insects than NuLure baited traps. Vapona used in IPMT traps was repellent to medflies and dry traps with lower concentrations of Vapona were approxi mately 1.5 times less attractive to female medflies than traps containing w ater. Even with a decrease in attractiveness, the dry traps were significan tly more effective for females and more practical for mass trapping and mon itoring than the currently used traps baited with protein solutions.