Use of bait stations for fruit fly population suppression

Tephritid fruit flies attack numerous species of fruits and vegetables and significantly impact agricultural economies around the world.  Attract and kill devices such as bait stations are a key component in the management of these destructive pests.  A recently developed wax-based bait station (Wax-BS), used by the USA-Mexico-Guatemala Moscamed Regional Program for suppression of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), has demonstrated extended field life compared to existing options.  Long-term field testing has been conducted in several areas including Guatemala and Texas, U.S.A. to validate the technology.  Results of short-term field testing in Florida showed no differences in sterile medfly percent mortality for 4-week and 8-week old weathered Wax-BS compared to fresh ones across field cage trial dates. Our results support earlier findings that Wax-BS can remain effective for several months or longer under field conditions.  Wax-BS appears to be an excellent tool for use against invasive fruit fly species during emergency programs in Florida and elsewhere.