Bactrocera neohumeralis (Hardy)
Male B. neohumeralis (Photograph: P. Zabrowski)
DISTRIBUTION: Common pest in Australia on Torres Strait islands, along the east coast of Queensland south to northeastern New South Whales, and in isolated areas west of Cape York Peninsula, mainland Papua New Guinea (collected mostly in Central Province but also in small numbers in Morobe and Western Provinces).
HOST PLANTS: A polyphagous species in Australia. Hancock et al (2000) recorded 158 host species in 95 genera and 44 families. In Papua New Guinea, it has only been reared from guava (Myrtaceae: Psidium guajava). The species referred to as B. neohumeralis in PNG may, in fact, be a new species in the tryoni complex, very similar to B. neohumeralis but with a more restricted host range.
BIOLOGY: Unlike Queensland fruit fly (B. tryoni), its sibling species, B. neohumeralis mates during the day rather than at dusk.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Important pest in Australia. Economic importance not assessed in PNG.
MALE LURE: Cue-lure.
QUARANTINE SURVEILLANCE: Cue-lure trapping and regular host fruit surveys of guava.
OPTIONS FOR RESPONSE (If newly discovered in a country): Increased trapping, increased host fruit sampling, restriction of fruit movement, protein bait spraying, male annihilation.
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).
Hancock, D.L., Hamacek, E., Lloyd, A.C., Elson-Harris, M.M. 2000. The distribution and host plants of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Australia. Queensland Department of Primary Industries. Information Series QI99067. 75 pp.
Page updated on: 17 October, 2002