Vol. 10, Special Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
Sruthi AB, Zadda Kavitha, M Shanthi and A Beaulah

Abstract:
Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of aqueous solutions of protein baits including Proteinex, soybean, yeast and casein added with ammonium acetate (5%), jaggery (10%), borax (2%) and malathion (0.001%) and natural food baits including tomato, banana, bitter gourd, pineapple and guava added with jaggery (10%), yeast (0.5%), borax (2%) and malathion (0.001%) in trapping melon fruit flies, Zeugodcaus cucurbitae. Among the fruit flies caught in the traps, majority were females proving the fact that females were attracted more towards the protein sources than males because females need comparatively more protein for their development and sexual maturation. The protein baits were effective in attracting fruit flies when compared to natural food baits. This may be due to the consistency in the pH of the protein baits which was around 5-6 throughout the week whereas in natural food bait it raised from 4 – 6 in one week. The response of fruit flies towards the traps increased with increase in pH. The weight and volume reduced gradually in protein and food baits hence, the bait should be added with10-15ml thrice a week to keep up the turgidity and aqueous consistency of the bait.