Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1-2018

Abstract

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a generalist feeder that is known to successfully feed and breed on a variety of fruits and vegetables in the tropical and subtropical zones of Asia. Recently, the northward extension of B. dorsalis has been reported, and this geographic range increase relates to both climate changes and the rapid development of domestic and international trade and travel. However, it has not been possible to determine the origin of this pest, which is trapped in north China. In this study, traps baited with the sex attractant methyl eugenol were used to collect B. dorsalis in Beijing, China. With these traps B. dorsalis populations were sampled at the same time in 5 different latitudes of China and used to determine the distribution of δ2H stable isotope values. The relationship between rainwater and the B. dorsalis δ2H stable isotope values at these sites was modelled, which then could be used to hypothesize the population origin of B. dorsalis trapped in Beijing, China. The results showed that δ2H stable isotope values for B. dorsalis from Beijing were not consistent with that of the rainwater in Beijing, but rather were consistent with the results obtained from Fuzhou in southeast China. Bactrocera dorsalis trapped in Beijing was not a resident population, and may have come from South China. The fruit and vegetable trade may have vectored the fly northward in China. Our results also showed that δ2H stable isotope technology is a promising strategy for tracing the population origins of invasive fruit flies.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Florida Entomologist

First Page

244

Last Page

248

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