Biology of Bactrocera carambolae (Diptera: Tephritidae) on four hosts

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Bactrocera carambolae is a quarantine pest found in Brazil, restricted to the states of Amapá, Pará and Roraima. This fruit fly can potentially cause extensive socioeconomic and environmental damage in the country, if it disperse into areas where fruit is grown for exporting. The objective of this work was to study the biology of B. carambolae on fruits of Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidaceae), Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Spondias mombin L. (Anacardiaceae) and Eugenia stipitata McVaugh (Myrtaceae). The following parameters were investigated duration of egg-larva, pupal, egg-adult, pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods, pupal weight and viability, sex ratio, fecundity, fertility and longevity. All parameters except pupal weight, oviposition and post-oviposition period, egg fertility and sex ratio were influenced by the host plant on which the larvae were reared. The carambola fruit fly completes its development on all those hosts studied here, with the highest fecundities on A. carambola and P. guajava.