HAW-FLYPMHawaii Area Wide Fruit Fly Integrated Pest Management ProgramHawaii Area Wide Fruit Fly Integrated Pest Management Program

August 2004

HAW-FLYPM newsletters are a monthly publication of the Hawaii Area Wide Pest Management Program (AWPM). The purpose of these newsletters is to keep grower and community cooperators in-formed about fruit fl y advances statewide. This publication also serves as a means to recognize HAW-FLYPM staff members and their outstanding achievements. Articles submitted for publication must be relevant to HAW-FLYPM and reviewed by our panel of editors.

HAW-FLYPM Newsletter EditorsRonald Mau / Carla Kuo UH-CES

Newsletter Layout and DesignCarla Kuo: UH-CES

GIS MapsCheryl Chan USDA-ARS

Photo CreditUSDA-ARS & UH-CES

HAW-FLYPM is a USDA- Agriculture Research Service funded partnership with the

UH-CES and Hawaii State Department of Agriculture

August 2004

Melon Fly Suppression Gaining Momentum in WaialuaT. Yasui

The successful adoption of the program in Waialua is evidenced in the latest infestation reports. Farmers have seen a 60% reduction of infested crop within the past two months. Although initial surveys in late May had infestation levels at 80%, farmers are now reporting levels to be below 20% in bittermelon, sequa and pumpkin. Religious applications of GF-120 as well as sanitation have greatly contributed to the success in Waialua. It is interesting to note that cassava has been chosen over sudex as the roosting site, mainly because it can be harvested and sold.

Word of the recent success has spread quickly through Waialua, and many new farmers have expressed an interest in becoming cooperators. A second meeting will be held in early September to educate the new farmers, and to allow some testimony from those who are already getting good results. A few of the farmers have already taken the lead and have begun to educate fellow farmers about the essential practices for fruit control. It seems that Waialua is headed in the right direction, thanks to some concerned and dedicated farmers.

Trenton Yasui is a Junior Extension Agent at UH-CES. He may be contacted at (808) 956-8261, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 310, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, or via email at trenton@hawaii.edu.

Dr. Raju R. Pandey is a Junior Extension Specialist at UH-CES. He may be contacted at (808) 956-8261, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 310, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, or via email at raju@hawaii.edu.

Hang Melon Fly Traps on or around Bushes & TreesR. Pandey

Male melon fl ies are attracted to a parapheromone known as Cuelure. Cuelure-impregnated cotton wicks or plastic matrix plugs are used in various kinds of traps. Male melon fl ies detect volatilized cuelure that escapes the trap. The melon fl ies that respond to the cuelure are attracted to the trap where they are killed by the action of the toxicant such as malathion, DDVP, spinosad etc., or by drowning them in soapy water or earth-friendly car antifreeze.

Melon fl ies have defi nite living habits that relate to where traps should be placed. We observed some differences in the trap catches at placements located near plants and in bare fi elds. To verify this observation a fi eld experiment was conducted at Central Oahu

.

Twelve cuelure traps were placed within 20 feet from the haole koa bush (“Near Bush”) other 12 cuelure traps were placed on the dirt mound without any vegetation (“Bare Ground”). These two groups of traps were at least a quarter mile apart. Flies were collected at weekly interval and counted to estimate fl y catch per trap day.

The traps placed near the haole koa bush consistently caught about 3 to 24 fold fl ies more fl ies than the ones placed away from vegetation. A trap that was located near a tree that was several feet taller than the haole koa bush caught the most fl ies in all the weeks.

The take home message is this. It is important to hang the mass annihilation traps either in or near trees and/or bushes.

Haole Koa

Melon FlyMelon Fly

Trap in the Brush