Improved attractants for Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann): responses of sterile and wild flies to (-) enantiomer of ceralure B1

Tests were conducted on wild Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capiata (Wiedemann), in Hawaii, Italy, and Kenya, and on sterile released flies in Florida and California with a new male attractant, (-)-ceralure B1. Compared on an equal dosage basis, Mediterranean fruit fly males were significantly more attracted to the (-)-ceralure B1 than to trimedlure in each of the sites tested except for California. Compared with the standard commercial 2 g trimedlure plug, 10 mg applied on cotton wicks (Kauai) was as attractive to wild males as trimedlure after the first 2 d of the test but not after 7 d. At a dose of 40 mg (50 times less than in the 2-g plug), the (-)-ceralure B1 was significantly more attractive to male flies than the 2-g trimedlure plug for the first week of service (Florida) but not after 2 wk. Studies using released sterile flies in Florida confirm our previous work on the improved attraction of (-)-ceralure B1 (40 mg) over trimedlure. However, this trend did not hold up in a single test conducted in a residential area in California that did not show a significant difference in attraction using 20 mg of compound. Future refinements in synthesis and costs of this compound and increased availability and testing will be needed before any final evaluation in the field can be carried out.