Comparison of attractants for Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Mexico: is there a better attractant than CeraTrap®?

Fruit fly monitoring using effective attractants is a key tool in the integration of pest control strategies. The present study compared the capture efficacy of Anastrepha obliqua using six attractants that are commercially available in Mexico. In three field experiments in mango var. manila orchards, CeraTrap®, an attractant comprising enzymatically-hydrolyzed animal proteins, was significantly more effective than chemically-hydrolyzed proteins mixed with borax (Captor 300®, Winner 360® and Flyral®), or a newly developed attractant, Agrotrap® containing a mixture of hydrolyzed protein, torula yeast, ammonium acetate and vinegars. A mixture of Captor 300 + borax and Orga Fly Trap® (a potentiation adjuvant) captured statistically similar numbers of A. obliqua as CeraTrap. The pH of attractant preparations and their release of ammonia were not clear indicators of the attractiveness of these products in the field. We conclude that CeraTrap is stable for several weeks and continues to be the most effective attractant for monitoring populations of A. obliqua in mango