D3426: Abundance and phenology of three pest fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in farmland and community gardens of Oahu (Hawaiian Islands)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 6, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

LL

Luc Leblanc

Curator of the William F. Barr Entomological Museum
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

Co-Author(s)

RK

Rick Kurashima

USDA-APHIS
Waimanalo, Hawaii
MS

Maxfield Sorkin

USDA-APHIS
Waimanalo, Hawaii
TS

Todd E. Shelly (he/him/his)

Entomologist
USDA-APHIS
Waimanalo, Hawaii

An extensive network ( >400 sites) of traps baited with male lures and protein attractant was maintained between 2009 and 2023 in ports of entry, residential areas, community gardens, and commercial farms on Oahu (Hawaiian Islands), to promptly detect exotic invasive fruit flies before they become established. In the process of sorting through samples, captures of the three main established pest species (Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)) in the traps were recorded. Using data from the 37 sites continuously maintained throughout the period, we characterized the seasonal phenology of these species, relating it to rainfall and host fruit availability. Trap captures were highest during summer months each year, with secondary peaks for Z. cucurbitae in commercial cucurbit farms in southern Oahu and peaks of C. capitata between October and December in coffee plantations.