Early detection and population monitoring of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a mixed-fruit orchard in northern Greece

Population monitoring of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was studied in 1998 in a mixed-fruit orchard in northern Greece, using International Pheromone McPhail traps (IPMT) baited with the female targeted attractants ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine, and Jackson traps baited with the male specific parapheromone trimedlure. Special emphasis was placed on detecting the low initial adult population resulting from surviving overwintering larvae as early as possible in the spring and early summer. Traps were suspended on various host trees, using trap grid densities of either 15 or 1.5 traps per hectare. The first adults detected were females captured on 24 June in IPMT traps suspended on apricot trees, which are among the earliest maturing hosts in the area, From the end of July, the most effective trap was the IPMT trap placed on peaches, which followed apricots in the fruit ripening sequence. IPMT traps captured predominately females (approximate to 80% of the total captures) and by far outperformed Jackson traps in early detection (the first males in Jackson traps were captured in August) as well as in total captures until mid-October, After mid-October, however, more flies were captured in Jackson traps. Comparing the performance of two trap grid densities on apple trees (the common,host in the two grids), we found that in the high-density trap grid the first adults were detected I wk earlier than in the low-density trap gild. Our findings for this locality suggest that trap type and plant species on which traps are suspended are of key importance in early detection and population monitoring of C. capitata.