PUPAL SURVIVAL OF TWO NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN TEPHRITID SPECIES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SOIL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The capacity for survival of the pupae of 2 species of fruit fly, D. opiliae Drew and Hardy and D. tenuifascia (May), was compared in varying soil conditions over a 14 month period covering the major climatic seasons in the Northern Territory. Dacus tenuifascia pupae demonstrated a significantly higher survival than D. opiliae pupae in shaded, dry soil but in unshaded dry soil, where temperatures were very high, neither species survived well. During wet months when soil moisture increased considerably, survival of the two species was of the same order whether in shaded or unshaded situations. Survival was directly correlated with soil moisture but soil temperatures were clearly important in some exposed situations. Copyright © 1981, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved