Attraction of ethyl ether extracts of 232 botanicals to oriental fruit flies, melon flies, and Mediterranean fruit flies

Abstract

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, and the oriental fruit fly, D. dorsalis Hendel, three Hawaiian tephritids of economic importance, were exposed to traps each containing one of 232 ethyl ether extracts of air-dried botanicals. The principal concern was to establish which extracts were attractive judged on the basis of an index determined by the number of times more flies were attracted to the trap baited with water and extract than were attracted to traps baited with water only. Female Mediterranean fruit flies were attracted to 61 extracts and melon fly females to 31 extracts. Female oriental fruit flies were not much attracted. Many extracts were attractive to males of the three species. The extract of Coffea robusta Linden (Family Rubiaceae) was the only material attractive to both sexes of all three species.