Distribution and Abundance of Female Oriental Fruit Flies Near Methyl Eugenol-Baited Traps

Methyl eugenol is an extremely effective attractant for male oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). Field experiments were conducted in a commercial guava orchard to determine whether the presence of methyl eugenol-baited traps affected the distribution and abundance of female oriental fruit flies near the traps. Captures of females on spheres did not increase within the vicinity of methyl eugenol-baited traps. Captures of males were significantly greater on spheres hung in trees containing methyl eugenol-baited traps than on spheres hung in other trees. An experiment was conducted to determine if methyl eugenol would influence the dispersal of unmated, sexually mature female oriental fruit flies. There were no significant differences in the numbers of marked or wild females captured on traps at different distances from the methyl eugenol lure. This study did not find any evidence that the presence of methyl eugenol-baited traps in orchards would affect female abundance in the vicinity of traps.