Bactrocera kirki (Photo: S. Wilson) DISTRIBUTION: French Polynesia (but not in Marquesas), Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Niue, Wallis and Futuna, and Fiji Islands (on Rotuma only).
HOST PLANTS: Its known host range includes 49 host species in 32 genera and 22 families. The following list covers published host plants from surveys in Tonga, Samoa and French Polynesia: Detailed host list.
BIOLOGY: Adults mate in late morning to early afternoon, when light intensity is highest. Life history and rate of development were studied in Samoa, where colonies are maintained. Heat tolerance studies were completed in Samoa. Attempts to rear the species in Tonga have had limited success.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: This species infests 45-99% of guavas in Samoa. In Tonga, 90% of guavas are infested by B. kirki and B. facialis.
MALE LURE: Cue-lure.
QUARANTINE SURVEILLANCE: Cue-lure trapping and regular host fruit surveys of high risk species, especially guava, mango, Tahitian chestnut, Syzygium apples and tropical almond.
OPTIONS FOR RESPONSE (If newly discovered in a country): Increased trapping, increased host fruit sampling, restriction of fruit movement, protein bait spraying.
CONTROL: Fruit bagging, protein bait spraying, destruction of fallen and overripe fruits, early harvest of mature green fruits.
REFERENCES:
Drew, R.A.I. 1989.The tropical fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) of the Australasian and Oceanian regions. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. Volume 26. 521 pp. (Description and illustration).
Page updated on: 12 November, 2002