Unifying Behavioral and Chemical Control for Apple Maggot Fly and other Tephritids

The apple maggot fly is a key summer insect pest of commercial apple production in the Northeast and Midwest, and poses and increasing threat to mid-Atlantic production. As an alternative to organophosphate insecticide sprays against apple maggot fly, behavioral control using odor-baited, sticky-coated sphere traps has been demonstrated as highly effective in controlling damage from apple maggot, but is prohibitively difficult and expensive to maintain. This project will refine a unique trapping mechanism to deliver toxicant to foraging apple maggot fly adults, creating a comprehensive trapping system available and effective at all levels of managment: from backyard growers to commercial production to eradication programs. Through the behavioral example of apple maggot fly, this project will also provide the basis for implementation of unified behavioral/chemical control for other fruit flies of economic importance.