Discrimination of Sodium Tetraborate by Anastrepha suspensa Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Newly-emerged adults (4 h old) and 10-d-old Anastrepha suspensa Loew were exposed to 0 to 5% concentrations of sodium tetraborate for 7 d in choice and no-choice feeding tests. With an increase in sodium tetraborate concentration, mortality increased and occurred more quickly; egg production and egg hatch were reduced in both choice and no-choice tests. Fly mortality, egg production, and egg hatch indicated that flies fed about equally on control and sodium tetraborate-containing food when offered a choice. Egg production appeared to be more sensitive to sodium tetraborate than egg hatch. All flies died and no eggs were produced with 1, 3, and 5% sodium tetraborate even when flies were offered the choice of food without sodium tetraborate.