Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Feeding and Mating Behaviour of African Fruit Flies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Fruit Fly Research and Development in Africa - Towards a Sustainable Management Strategy to Improve Horticulture

Abstract

The majority of African fruit fly species are controlled using behavioural methods (e.g. attract and kill). Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has also been successfully used for a few African fruit fly pests, mostly outside of the African region. A thorough understanding of the feeding and mating behaviour of fruit fly pests is required when using behavioural control methods and SIT for fruit fly control. The feeding and mating behaviour of key African fruit fly pests are reviewed. Feeding and mating behaviours have been elucidated for only a few species with a wider global distribution. For the remaining Ceratitis, Bactrocera and Dacus species with a limited worldwide distribution, there are still important knowledge gaps in their behavioural ecology. With horticulture expanding in Africa and increasing trade of horticultural produce from the region, it is important that these knowledge gaps are filled so that control methods can be optimised.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Arakaki N, Kuba H, Soemori H (1984) Mating behaviour of the Oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae). Appl Entomol Zool 19(1):42–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Atiama-Nurbel T, Deguine J-P, Quilici S (2012) Maize more attractive than Napier grass as non-host plants for Bactrocera cucurbitae and Dacus demmerezi. Arthropod Plant Interact 6:395–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barry JD, Vargas RI, Miller GT, Morse JG (2003) Feeding and foraging of wild and sterile Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the presence of spinosad bait. J Econ Entomol 96(5):1405–1411

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barry JD, Miller NW, Pinero JC, Tuttle A, Mau FL, Vargas RI (2006) Effectiveness of protein baits on melon fly and Oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae): attraction and feeding. J Econ Entomol 99(4):1161–1167

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bess HA, Haramoto FH (1961) Contributions to the biology and ecology of the Oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae), in Hawaii, vol 44. Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Hawaii, Technical Bulletin, Honolulu, pp 5–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Burk T (1981) Signalling and sex in acalyptrate flies. Fla Entomol 64(1):30–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cangussu JA, Zucoloto FS (1995) Self-selection and perception threshold in adult females of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae). J Insect Physiol 41(3):223–227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carey JR, Liedo P, Muller HG, Wang JL, Vaupel JW (1998) Dual modes of aging in Mediterranean fruit fly females. Science 281:996–998

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christenson LC, Foote RH (1960) Biology of fruit flies. Annu Rev Entomol 5:171–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen H, Voet H (2002) Effect of physiological state of young Ceratitis capitata females, on resource foraging behaviour. Entomol Exp Appl 104:345–351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cornelius ML, Nergel L, Duan JJ, Messing RH (2000) Responses of female Oriental fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae) to protein and fruit odors in field cage and open field tests. Environ Entomol 29(1):14–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coronado-Gonzalez PA, Vijaysegaran S, Robinson AS (2008) Functional morphology of the mouthparts of the adult Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. J Insect Sci 8(73):1–11. doi:10.1673/031.008.7301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham RT (1989) Male Annihilation. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies: their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3B. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 345–351

    Google Scholar 

  • De Meyer M, Mohamed S, White IM (2014) Invasive fruit fly pests in Africa. http://www.africamuseum.be/fruitfly/AfroAsia.htm. Accessed 30 Nov 2012

  • Deguine J-P, Douraguia E, Atiama-Nurbel T, Chiroleu F, Quilici S (2012) Cage study of spinosad-based bait efficacy on Bactrocera cucurbitae, Dacus ciliatus, and Dacus demmerezi (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Reunion Island. J Econ Entomol 105(4):1358–1365

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dethier VG (1976) The hungry fly. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA/London

    Google Scholar 

  • Drew RAI, Yuval B (2001) The evolution of fruit fly feeding behavior. In: Aluja M, Norrbom AL (eds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae): phylogeny and evolution of behaviour. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 731–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Eberhard WG (2000) Sexual behavior and sexual selection in the medfly, Ceratitis capitata. In: Aluja M, Norrbom A (eds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae): phylogeny and evolution of behavior. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 459–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekesi S, Muchugu E (2006) Tephritid fruit flies in Africa- fact sheets of some economically important species. In: Ekesi S, Billah MK (eds) A field guide to the management of economically important Tephritid fruit flies in Africa, 2nd edn. icipe Science Press, Nairobi, pp B-1–B-19

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekesi S, Mohamed SA, Hanna R, Lux SA, Gnanvossou D, Bokonon-Ganta A (2007) Fruit fly suppression- purpose, tools and methodology. In: Ekesi S, Billah MK (eds) A field guide to the management of economically important Tephritid fruit flies in Africa. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, pp D1–D15

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekesi S, Mohamed S, Tanga CM (2014) Comparison of food-based attractants for Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae) and evaluation of mazoferm-spinosad bait spray for field suppression in mango. J Econ Entomol 107(1):299–309

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Enkerlin WR (2005) Impact of fruit fly control programmes using the sterile insect technique. In: Dyck VA, Hendrichs J, Robinson AS (eds) Sterile insect technique. Principles and practice in area-wide integrated pest management. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 651–676

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher BS (1987) The biology of dacine fruit flies. Annu Rev Entomol 32:115–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster SP, Harris MO (1997) Behavioural manipulation methods for insect pest management. Annu Rev Entomol 42:123–146

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gopaul S, Price NS, Soonoo R, Stonehouse J, Stravens R (2000) Local production of protein bait: Mauritius. Technologies of fruit fly monitoring and control in the Indian Ocean region. Indian Ocean Commission Regional Fruit Fly Programme, Reduit

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassell MP, Southwood TRE (1978) Foraging strategies of insects. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 9:75–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hee AK-W, Tan KH (1998) Attraction of female and male Bactrocera papayae to conspecific males fed with methyl eugenol and attraction of females to male sex pheromone components. J Chem Ecol 24(4):753–764

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hendrichs J, Hendrichs MA (1990) Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in nature: location and diel pattern of feeding and other activities on fruiting and nonfruiting hosts and nonhosts. Ann Entomol Soc Am 83(3):632–641

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendrichs J, Prokopy RJ (1994) Food foraging behaviour of frugivorous fruit flies. In: Calkins CO, Klassen W, Liedo P (eds) Fruit flies and the sterile insect technique. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 37–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrichs J, Katsoyannos BI, Papaj DR, Prokopy RJ (1991) Sexual differences in movement between natural feeding and mating sites and tradeoffs between food consumption, mating success and predator evasion in Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Oecologia 86:223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendrichs J, Robinson AS, Cayol JP, Enkerlin W (2002) Medfly areawide sterile insect technique programmes for prevention, suppression or eradication: the importance of mating behaviour studies. Fla Entomol 85(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson CG, Long JP (1997) Mating behaviour of Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae) in field cages. Ann Entomol Soc Am 90(6):856–860

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaspi R, Yuval B (2000) Post-teneral protein feeding improves sexual competitiveness but reduces longevity of mass-reared sterile male Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 93(4):949–955

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaspi R, Taylor PW, Yuval B (2000) Diet and size influence sexual advertisement and copulatory success of males in Mediterranean fruit fly leks. Ecol Entomol 25:279–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katsoyannos BI, Heath RR, Papadopoulos NK, Epsky ND, Hendrichs J (1999) Field evaluation of Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera:Tephritidae) female selective attractants for use in monitoring programs. J Econ Entomol 92(3):583–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khoo CCH, Tan KH (2000) Attraction of both sexes of melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae to conspecific males – a comparison after pharmacophagy of cue-lure and a new attractant – zingerone. Entomol Exper Appl 97:317–320

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi RM, Ohinata K, Chambers DL, Fujimoto MS (1978) Sex pheromones of the Oriental fruit fly and the melon fly: mating behaviour, bioassay method, and attraction of females by live males and by suspected pheromone glands of males. Environ Entomol 7(1):107–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuba H, Koyama J (1985) Mating behaviour of wild melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a field cage: courtship behaviour. Appl Entomol Zool 20(4):365–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuba H, Koyama J, Prokopy RJ (1984) Mating behaviour of wild melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a field cage: distribution and behaviour of flies. Appl Entomol Zool 19(3):367–373

    Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A (2006) Fruit fly monitoring – purpose, tools and methodology. In: Ekesi S, Billah MK (eds) A field guide to the management of economically important Tephritid fruit flies in Africa. icipe Science Press, Nairobi, pp c1–c17

    Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A (2009) Diel and lifetime patterns of activities of African fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae) (unpublished data)

    Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A, Kotze C (2011) Attraction of Ceratitis capitata, C. rosa and C. cosyra (Diptera: Tephritidae) to proteinaceous baits. J Appl Entomol 135:98–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A, Lux SA (2006) Contribution of natural food sources to reproductive behaviour, fecundity and longevity of Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis fasciventris and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). Bull Entomol Res 96:259–268

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A, Lux SA (2008) Effect of food deprivation on attractiveness of food sources, containing natural and artificial sugar and protein, to three African fruit flies: Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis fasciventris and Ceratitis capitata. Entomol Exper Appl 127:133–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manrakhan A, Lux SA (2009) Diel and lifetime patterns of feeding and reproductive activities of three African fruit flies, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis fasciventris and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in semi-field cages of different spatial scales. Afr Entomol 17(1):8–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McQuate GT, Jones GD, Sylva CD (2003) Assessment of corn pollen as food sources for two Tephritid fruit fly species. Environ Entomol 32(1):141–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mwatawala MW, De Meyer M, Makundi RH, Maerere AP (2006) Biodiversity of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in orchards in different agro-ecological zones of the Morogoro region, Tanzania. Fruits 61(5):321–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myburgh AC (1962) Mating habits of the fruit flies Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) and Pterandus rosa (Ksh.). South Afr J Agric Sci 5(3):457–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Nestel D, Nemny-Lavy E, Zilberg L, Weiss M, Akiva R, Gazit Y (2004) The fruit fly PUB: a phagostimulation unit bioassay system to quantitatively measure ingestion of baits by individual flies. J Entomol 128:576–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishida T (1958) Extrafloral glandular secretions, a food source for certain insects. Proc Hawaiian Entomol Soc 16(3):379–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishida T, Bess HA (1950) Applied ecology in melon fly control. J Econ Entomol 43:877–883

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nishida R, Enomoto H, Shelly TE, Ishida T (2009) Sequestration of 3-oxygenated α-ionone derivatives in the male rectal gland of the solanaceous fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons. Entomol Exper Appl 131:85–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Papadopoulos NK, Katsoyannos BI, Kouloussis NA, Economopoulos AP, Carrey JR (1998) Effect of adult age, food, time of day on sexual calling incidence of wild and mass-reared Ceratitis capitata males. Entomol Exper Appl 89:175–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perez-Staples D, Shelly TE, Yuval B (2012) Female mating failure and the failure of ‘mating’ in sterile insect programs. Entomol Exper Appl 146:66–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinero JC, Mau RFL, Vargas RI (2011) A comparative assessment of the response of three fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) to a spinosad-based bait: effect of ammonium acetate, female age, and protein hunger. Bull Entomol Res 101(4):373–381

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poramarcom R, Boakes CRB (1991) Behavioural influences on male mating success in the Oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel. Anim Behav 42:453–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prokopy RJ, Roitberg BD (1989) Fruit fly foraging behaviour. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies: their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3A, World crop pests. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 293–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Prokopy RJ, Papaj DR, Hendrichs J, Wong TTY (1992) Behavioural responses of Ceratitis capitata flies to bait spray droplets and natural food. Entomol Exper Appl 64:247–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prokopy RJ, Hsu CL, Vargas RI (1993) Effect of source and condition of animal excrement on attractiveness to adults of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). Environ Entomol 22(2):453–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prokopy RJ, Miller NW, Pinero JC, Barry JD, Tran LC, Oride L, Vargas RI (2003) Effectiveness of GF-120 fruit fly bait spray applied to border area plants for control of melon flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). J Econ Entomol 96(5):1485–1493

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quilici S, Franck A, Peppuy A, Dos Reis CE, Mouniama C, Blard F (2002) Comparative studies of courtship behaviour of Ceratitis spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Reunion Island. Fla Entomol 85:138–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rempoulakis P, Nemny-Lavy E, Castro R, Nestel D (2015) Mating behaviour of Dacus ciliatus (Loew) [Diptera: Tephritidae]: comparisons between a laboratory and a wild population. J Appl Entomol 140:250–260. doi:10.1111/jen.12252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice MJ (1989) The sensory physiology of fruit flies: conspectus and prospectus. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies, their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3A. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 249–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Roessler Y (1989) Insecticidal bait and cover sprays. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) World crop pests, fruit flies: their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3B. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 329–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz GA, Boush GM (1971) Suspected sex pheromone glands in three economically important species of Dacus. J Econ Entomol 64(2):347–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schutze MK, Mahmood K, Pavasovic A, Bo W, Newman J, Clarke AR, Krosch MN, Cameron SL (2014) One and the same: integrative taxonomic evidence that Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the same species as the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis. Syst Entomol 40:472–486. doi:10.1111/syen.12114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE (2000) Fecundity of female Oriental fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae): effects of methyl-eugenol fed and multiple mates. Ann Entomol Soc Am 93(3):559–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE (2001) Lek size and female visitation in two species of tephritid fruit flies. Anim Behav 62:33–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Dewire AM (1994) Chemically mediated mating success in male Oriental fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 87(3):375–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Kaneshiro KY (1991) Lek behaviour of the Oriental fruit fly. Dacus dorsalis, in Hawaii (Diptera: Tephritidae). J Insect Behav 4:235–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Kennelly SS, McInnis DO (2002) Effect of adult diet on signalling activity, mate attraction, and mating success in male Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Fla Entomol 85(1):150–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelly TE, Edu J, Pahio E (2005) Influence of diet and methyl eugenol on the mating success of males of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Fla Entomol 88(3):307–313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sivinski J, Burk T (1989) Reproductive and mating behaviour. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies, their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3A. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 343–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki Y, Koyama J (1980) Temporal aspects of mating behavior of the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae): a comparison between laboratory and wild strains. Appl Entomol Zool 15(3):215–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan KH, Nishida R (1998) Ecological significance of male attractant in the defence and mating strategies of the fruit fly, Bactrocera papayae. Entomol Exper Appl 89:155–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan KH, Tokushima I, Ono H, Nishida R (2010) Comparison of phenylpropanoid volatiles in male rectal gland after methyl eugenol consumption, and molecular phylogenetic relationship of four global pest fruit fly species: Bactrocera invadens, B. dorsalis, B. correcta and B. zonata. Chemoecology 21(1):25–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor PW, Yuval B (1999) Postcopulatory sexual selection in Mediterranean fruit flies: advantages for large and protein-fed males. Anim Behav 58:247–254

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsiropoulos GJ (1992) Feeding and dietary requirements of the tephritid fruit flies. In: Anderson TE, Leppla NC (eds) Westview studies in insect biology: advances in insect rearing for research and pest management. Westview Press, Boulder, pp 93–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas RI, Stark JD, Nishida T (1990) Population dynamics, habitat preference, and seasonal distribution patterns of Oriental fruit fly and melon fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in an agricultural area. Environ Entomol 19(6):1820–1828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vijaysegaran S, Walter GH, Drew RAI (1997) Mouthpart structure, feeding mechanisms, and natural food sources of adult Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 90(2):184–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Virgilio M, Jordaens K, Verwimp C, White IM, De Meyer M (2015) Higher phylogeny of frugivorous flies (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacini): localised partition conflicts and a novel generic classification. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.01.007

    Google Scholar 

  • Warburg MS, Yuval B (1997) Circadian patterns of feeding and reproductive activities of Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) on various hosts in Israel. Ann Entomol Soc Am 90(4):487–495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson DL (1989) Oogenesis and spermatogenesis. In: Robinson AS, Hooper G (eds) Fruit flies: their biology, natural enemies and control, vol 3A, World crop pests. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 141–151

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Citrus Research International, 28, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa

    Aruna Manrakhan

Authors
  1. Aruna Manrakhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aruna Manrakhan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. & Ecology (ICIPE), Intern. Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya

    Sunday Ekesi

  2. Pant Health dept., Intern. Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya

    Samira A. Mohamed

  3. Entomology Section, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium

    Marc De Meyer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Manrakhan, A. (2016). Feeding and Mating Behaviour of African Fruit Flies. In: Ekesi, S., Mohamed, S., De Meyer, M. (eds) Fruit Fly Research and Development in Africa - Towards a Sustainable Management Strategy to Improve Horticulture. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43226-7_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation