Uptake of adhesive powders from lure stations by Mediterranean fruit fly (Dipt., Tephritidae)

Powders that are capable of adhering to insect cuticles can act as carrier particles when combined with insecticides, entomopathogens, or pheromones, for targeted insect control. One potential method of delivering the powder to an insect is to lure the insects to stations containing powder using a species‐specific attractant. Here, we report on the uptake of two different powders from lure stations (henceforth called ‘dispensers’) by the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, and the transfer of the powders to conspecifics during field studies in Portugal, as part of a research programme to develop lure‐and‐kill technologies based on adhesive powder. Uptake of an electrostatic wax powder, Entostat™, from dispensers was greater than uptake of a proprietary metallic powder, Entomag™, for both wild male C. capitata visiting field‐placed dispensers and laboratory‐reared males confined with dispensers in field cages. In agreement with field data, C. capitata also took up more Entostat than Entomag when artificially dosed on dispenser trays containing powder in the laboratory, and the quantities taken up were shown to be greater than that calculated from field experiments. Increasing the amount of Entostat powder in field‐placed dispensers resulted in greater uptake of powder by visiting male C. capitata. Laboratory‐reared male and female C. capitata were released in field cages in which were hung dispensers containing adhesive powder that were baited with the male attractant trimedlure. After 24 h, the powder was successfully extracted from all males and nearly all females collected, indicating that males probably transferred powder to conspecific females after visiting dispensers. The results underscore that a lure‐and‐kill system based on adhesive powder might have potential for controlling Mediterranean fruit fly and other flying insects.