Daily Periodicity in Attraction of Male Tephritid Fruit Flies to Synthetic Chemical Lures

SUMMARY When specific lure chemicals were placed in open, insecticide‐free, observation chambers, male fruit flies entered the chambers in the early part of the day and departed later in the same day. Peak attraction of Dacus tryoni (Froggatt) to cuelure was earlier in the day than peak attraction of Dacus cacuminatus (Hering) to methyl eugenol. For both species attraction peaks occurred earlier in the day during summer than during spring. These results are considered in relation to theories concerning the natural significance of lure chemicals, and to a possible control method.