Oviposition performance of tephritid polyphagous Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata during three periods of exposure to fruit.

Our study evaluated the oviposition behaviour of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) in five fruit species. Apples, guavas, mangoes, peaches and tangerines were exposed to infestation for 6, 12 and 24 hours. Anastrepha fraterculus and C. capitata showed different oviposition behaviour in apples and tangerines and similar oviposition behaviour in guavas, mangoes and peaches. There was a positive correlation between infestation time and pupae/kg, as well as between pupae/fruit and the survival rate of the immature (pupal viability). In this study, we present discussions about the oviposition behaviour of flies and the host infestation index. This index can reflect the reproductive capacity that each fruit species offers for each fly species. Here, we see an adult recovery rate greater than 89% in the highest infestation index observed in guava (185 A. fraterculus per unit fruit) and peach (220 C. capitata per unit fruit). Understanding the reproductive capacity of each host can help with risk analysis and the management of fruit flies.

Toward an Automated Identification of Anastrepha Fruit Flies in the fraterculus group (Diptera, Tephritidae).

In this study, we assess image analysis techniques as automatic identifiers of three Anastrepha species of quarantine importance, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), and Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi, based on wing and aculeus images. The right wing and aculeus of 100 individuals of each species were mounted on microscope slides, and images were captured with a stereomicroscope and light microscope. For wing image analysis, we used the color descriptor Local Color Histogram; for aculei, we used the contour descriptor Edge Orientation Autocorrelogram. A Support Vector Machine classifier was used in the final stage of wing and aculeus classification. Very accurate species identifications were obtained based on wing and aculeus images, with average accuracies of 94 and 95%, respectively. These results are comparable to previous identification results based on morphometric techniques and to the results achieved by experienced entomologists. Wing and aculeus images produced equally accurate classifications, greatly facilitating the identification of these species. The proposed technique is therefore a promising option for separating these three closely related species in the fraterculus group.

[Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and their parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associated to host plants in the southern region of Bahia State]. / Moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) e seus parasitoides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associados às plantas hospedeiras no sul da Bahia.

The association among Anastrepha species, braconid parasitoids and host fruits in southern Bahia is recorded. Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) was associated with A. serpentina (Wied.) in Pouteria caimito, A. bahiensis Lima in Helicostylis tomentosa, A. sororcula Zucchi in Eugenia uniflora, and A. obliqua (Macquart) in Spondias purpurea. Anatrepha obliqua was unique in fruits of Averrhoa carambola, but associated with D. areolatus, Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck) and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck). In Achras sapota, A. serpentina was associated with A. anastrephae and D. areolatus, while in Psidium guajava, A. fraterculus (Wied.) and A. sororcula were associated with D. areolatus and U. anastrephae.

Diversity and seasonality of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) and their parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Figitidae) in orchards of guava, loquat and peach.

This work was carried out in orchards of guava progenies, and loquat and peach cultivars, in Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, Brazil, in 2002 and 2003. Guavas and loquats were bagged and unbagged bi-weekly and weekly, respectively, for assessment of the infestation period. Peach was only bagged weekly. The assays started when the fruits were at the beginning of development, but still green. Ripe fruits were taken to the laboratory and placed individually into plastic cups. McPhail plastic traps containing torula yeast were hung from January 2002 to January 2004 to assess the fruit fly population in each orchard, but only the Ceratitis capitata population is here discussed. Five tephritid species were reared from the fruits: Anastrepha bistrigata Bezzi, A. fraterculus (Wiedemann), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. sororcula Zucchi, and C. capitata, in addition to six lonchaeid species: Neosilba certa (Walker), N. glaberrima (Wiedemann), N. pendula (Bezzi), N. zadolicha McAlpine and Steyskal, Neosilba sp. 4, and Neosilba sp. 10 (both species are in the process of being described by P. C. Strikis), as well as some unidentified Neosilba species. Ten parasitoid species were obtained from fruit fly puparia, of which five were braconids: Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti), D. brasiliensis (Szépligeti), Opius bellus Gahan, and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck), and five figitids: Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes), Dicerataspis grenadensis Ashmead, Lopheucoila anastrephae (Rhower), Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin, Carlton and Kelner-Pillaut), and Trybliographa infuscata Diaz, Gallardo and Uchôa. Ceratitis capitata showed a seasonal behavior with population density peaking at the second semester of each year. Anastrepha and Neosilba species remained in the orchards throughout both years.

Diversity and seasonality of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) and their parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Figitidae) in orchards of guava, loquat and peach / Diversidade e variação sazonal de moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae, Lonchaeidae) e seus parasitóides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Figitidae) em pomares de goiaba, nêspera e pêssego

This work was carried out in orchards of guava progenies, and loquat and peach cultivars, in Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, Brazil, in 2002 and 2003. Guavas and loquats were bagged and unbagged bi-weekly and weekly, respectively, for assessment of the infestation period. Peach was only bagged weekly. The assays started when the fruits were at the beginning of development, but still green. Ripe fruits were taken to the laboratory and placed individually into plastic cups. McPhail plastic traps containing torula yeast were hung from January 2002 to January 2004 to assess the fruit fly population in each orchard, but only the Ceratitis capitata population is here discussed. Five tephritid species were reared from the fruits: Anastrepha bistrigata Bezzi, A. fraterculus (Wiedemann), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. sororcula Zucchi, and C. capitata, in addition to six lonchaeid species: Neosilba certa (Walker), N. glaberrima (Wiedemann), N. pendula (Bezzi), N. zadolicha McAlpine and Steyskal, Neosilba sp. 4, and Neosilba sp. 10 (both species are in the process of being described by P. C. Strikis), as well as some unidentified Neosilba species. Ten parasitoid species were obtained from fruit fly puparia, of which five were braconids: Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti), D. brasiliensis (Szépligeti), Opius bellus Gahan, and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck), and five figitids: Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes), Dicerataspis grenadensis Ashmead, Lopheucoila anastrephae (Rhower), Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin, Carlton and Kelner-Pillaut), and Trybliographa infuscata Diaz, Gallardo and Uchôa. Ceratitis capitata showed a seasonal behavior with population density peaking at the second semester of each year. Anastrepha and Neosilba species remained in the orchards throughout both years.

Este trabalho foi realizado em três pomares em Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, em 2002 e 2003, representados por coleção de progênies de goiabeiras, de cultivares de nespereiras e de cultivares de pessegueiros. O período de infestação foi determinado por meio de ensacamento e desensacamento quinzenal e semanal de goiabas e nêsperas, respectivamente, e pelo ensacamento semanal de pêssegos. Os ensaios iniciaram-se com os frutos verdes (princípio de desenvolvimento). Os frutos maduros foram levados ao laboratório e acondicionados individualmente em copos plásticos. A flutuação populacional de Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) foi avaliada por meio de armadilhas plásticas modelo McPhail com torula em cada pomar, de janeiro/2002 a janeiro/2004. Dos frutos foram obtidas cinco espécies de tefritídeos: Anastrepha bistrigata Bezzi, A. fraterculus (Wiedemann), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. sororcula Zucchi e C. capitata e seis de lonqueídeos: Neosilba certa (Walker), N. glaberrima (Wiedemann), N. pendula (Bezzi), N. zadolicha McAlpine and Steyskal, Neosilba sp. 4 e Neosilba sp. 10, além de algumas espécies não-identificadas. Foram obtidas 10 espécies de parasitóides, cinco da família Braconidae - Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti), D. brasiliensis (Szépligeti), Opius bellus Gahan e Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) - e cinco da família Figitidae - Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes), Dicerataspis grenadensis Ashmead, Lopheucoila anastrephae (Rhower), Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin, Carlton and Kelner-Pillaut) e Trybliographa infuscata Diaz, Gallardo and Uchôa. Ceratitis capitata apresentou comportamento sazonal com picos populacionais durante o segundo semestre dos dois anos. As espécies de Anastrepha e de Neosilba permaneceram nos pomares durante os dois anos.

Effect of insecticides and fungicides on the interaction between members of the mite families Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae on citrus.

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of some insecticides and fungicides on the interaction between predacious mites of the families Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae on citrus. Euseius citrifolius Denmark and Muma, Euseius concordis (Chant) (Phytoseiidae), and Agistemus aff. bakeri (Stigmaeidae) were the most abundant species of predacious mites. No significant reduction of the population of stigmaeids was detected following the pesticide treatment. On the contrary, the population of those mites increased after the application of methidathion, petroleum oil, deltamethrin, cupric oxychloride and cuprous oxide, as compared to the population of those mites in the control plots. The chemicals promoting increased stigmaeid populations are some of those that promoted reduction of phytoseiid populations. A significant negative correlation was found between the numbers of phytoseiids and stigmaeids on citrus leaves immediately before treatments, and 33, 50, 83 and 105 days after treatment. A clear negative linear correlation between the number of predacious mites from both families was detected for benomyl, cupric oxychloride, cuprous oxide, thiophanate methyl, and control. Phytoseiid-stigmaeid interaction on citrus orchard is discussed.