Attraction of fruit-piercing moth Eudocima phalonia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to different fruit baits

The adult fruit-piercing moth, Eudocima (fullonia) phalonia (L.) comb. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major pest of citrus and numerous other commercial fruit crops. Application of insecticides is undesirable particularly at harvest time in fruit crops. Here we report on the attraction of E. phalonia to different fruit baits. E. phalonia was significantly attracted to feed more on fruit puree with Agar and Phytogel than on fruit puree with Agarose. Of the 15 fruit baits tested, moths preferred to feed on banana baits more than on any other, followed by guava and orange, which were significantly more attractive than kiwi, apple, pineapple, pear, papaya, mango, grapefruit, tomato or green grape. Star fruit, plum and sour sop fruit baits were the least attractive and were no more attractive than water control treatments. The present study identifies valuable attractants which may be used as part of a lure and kill strategy for this important pest and also form a foundation upon which future bioassay-driven fractionation and chemical structure elucidation can be developed.