Attractant for Vinegar Fly, Drosophila busckii, and Cluster Fly, Pollenia rudis (Diptera: Drosophilidae et Calliphoridae)

Abstract

A field test carried out in an industrial greenhouse in Lithuania revealed the attractiveness of synthetic methyl salicylate (MeSa) to two dipteran species: the vinegar fly, Drosophila busckii (Drosophilidae), and the cluster fly, Pollenia rudis (Calliphoridae). The attractant for the former fly species was especially effective, as sticky traps containing 0.25 ml of MeSa captured (814 ± 55) D. busckii flies/trap on average compared to (12 ± 4) flies/trap in control traps. The mean capture of P. rudis [(42 ± 4) flies/trap] was significantly higher in MeSa-baited traps compared to the control traps [(13 ± 4) flies/trap]. The presence of MeSa in emissions of many fruits suitable for D. busckii feeding allows to attribute this attractant to kairomones. In case of P. rudis, MeSa should be attributed to synomones (compounds beneficial for both receiver and sender), because adult flies feeding on flowers act as pollinators. This is the first report on the field-active attractant for D. busckii and the second for P. rudis. © 2009 Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung Tübingen.