Methoprene application and diet protein supplementation to male melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae, modifies female remating behavior

Methoprene （an analogue of juvenile hormone） application and feeding on a protein diet is known to enhance male melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett （Diptera： Tephritidae）, mating success. In this study, we investigated the effect of these treatments on male B. cucurbitae＇s ability to inhibit female remating. While 14-d-old females were fed on protein diet, 6-d-old males were exposed to one of the following treatments： （i） topical application of methoprene and fed on a protein diet; （ii） no methoprene but fed on a protein diet; （iii） methoprene and sugar-fed only; and （iv） sugar-fed, 14-d-old males acted as controls. Treatments had no effect on a male＇s ability to depress the female remating receptivity in comparison to the control. Females mated with protein-deprived males showed higher remating receptivity than females first mated with protein-fed males. Methoprene and protein diet interaction had a positive effect on male mating success during the first and second mating of females. Significantly more females first mated with sugar-fed males remated with protein-fed males and females first mated with methoprene treated and protein-fed males were more likely to remate with similarly treated males. Females mating latency （time to start mating） was significantly shorter with protein-fed males, and mating duration was significantly longer with protein-fed males compared with protein-deprived males. These results are discussed in the context of methoprene and/or dietary protein as prerelease treatment of sterile males in area-wide control of melon fly integrating the sterile insect technique （SIT）.

Optimizing methyl-eugenol aromatherapy to maximize posttreatment effects to enhance mating competitiveness of male Bactrocera carambolae （Diptera： Tephritidae）

Methyl-eugenol （ME） （1,2-dimethoxy-4-（2-propenyl）benzene）, a natural phy- tochemical, did enhance male Bactrocera carambolae Drew ＆ Hancock （Diptera： Tephri- tidae） mating competitiveness 3 d after ingestion. Enhanced male mating competitiveness can significantly increase the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique （SIT）. ME appli- cation to mass reared sterile flies by feeding is infeasible. ME application by aromatherapy however, would be a very practical way of ME application in fly emergence and release facilities. This approach was shown to enhance mating competitiveness ofB. carambolae 3 d posttreatment （DPT）. Despite this added benefit, every additional day of delaying re- lease will reduce sterile fly quality and will add cost to SIT application. The present study was planned to assess the effects of ME-aromatherapy on male B. carambolae mating competitiveness 1DPT and 2DPT. ME aromatherapy 1DPT or 2DPT did enhance mating competitiveness of B. carambolae males whereas ME feeding 1DPT and 2DPT did not. Male mating competitiveness was enhanced by the ME aromatherapy irrespective if they received 1DPT, 2DPT or 3DPT. ME aromatherapy, being a viable approach for its applica- tion, did enhance mating competitiveness of male B. carambolae 1 d posttreatrnent as ME feeding did 3 d after ingestion.