Bait station devices can improve mass trapping performance for the control of the Mediterranean fruit fly.

BACKGROUND The use of traps and other attract-and-kill devices in pest management strategies to reduce Mediterranean fruit fly populations has proved to be efficient. Nevertheless, many farmers are concerned about the effect of these devices on the trees where they are hung. Direct field observations have revealed that fruit damage is higher in trees with traps than in trees without them. This work evaluates the efficacy of different types of attract-and-kill device to protect fruit of the single tree on which the device is placed. RESULTS Results suggested that trees with traps had at least the same fruit damage than trees without them. When traps were baited with protein hydrolysate, fruit damage was even higher than in trees without traps. However, fruit damage was significantly diminished when efficient bait station devices were used. CONCLUSION Although mass trapping is able to control fruit fly populations as a control method, trees with some types of trap and bait are more susceptible to fly puncture. However, bait station devices reduce fruit damage in the single trees where they are hung. Bait stations are more efficient in fruit protection because fruit flies are affected as soon as they contact the device. Some recommendations for the use of the different attract-and-kill devices are discussed.