Activity Pattern and Distribution of African Invader Fly, Bactrocera invadens (Drew, Tsuruta and White) [Diprera: Tephritidae] in Ondo State, Southwestern Nigeria
ADEBAYO, R.A., MUSTAPHA, M.O. and OGUNFUMILAYO, A.O
Nig. J. Entomol. 33: 121 – 127 (2017)
DOI:10.36108/NJE/7102/33(0141)
ABSTRACT: African invader fly, Bactrocera invadens , is an invasive species and it has been reported as an economically important pest of fruits in Nigeria. The insect’s pattern of activity was studied on mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) over a 2-week period in 2014 at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) (5″ J 4″ E and 7″30 N”), The population infesting three host plants, citrus (Citrus sinensis L.), mango, and pawpaw (Carica papaya Linn.) was assessed over 8-weeks at
Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo (RUG IPO) (5035″ E and 7° 11 N”), and Adekunle Ajasin University,Akungba Akoko (AAUA)(5° 44″ E and 7°28 N”). The flies were lured into locally-fabricated traps with methyleugenol pre-mixed with insecticide and catches were counted at 1100, 1500, and 1800 hours in the activity pattern study but at fortnightly intervals in infestation/distribution study. The experiments were laid in completely randomized design with three treatment replicates; h-ap catches were square root transformed before analysis of variance. Trap catches revealed that flies were prevalently active in the late morning and that location and host plant exerted significant influence. The highest trap catch was at AAUA (3866.67) followed by ACE (1726.99), and RUGIPO (1429.03). Mango was the most preferred host (4530.02), followed by citrus (1381.01), and pawpaw (1111.66). A total of seven thousand and twenty two (7022_69) flies were trapped at the three locations and on the hosts within the study period. It was concluded that B. invadens were most active in the late morning and were distributed in all the selected areas. Therefore, based on the results from the study, constant monitoring and trapping is recommended as a management option for the pestiferous B. invadens. Consequently, fly control strategy has to take cognisance of pest density variation by location, season, and host plant infested.
Keyword: Bactrocera invadens, activity pattern. distribution, trapping