Abstract: Twelve wild populations of the olive-fruit fly Dacus oleae from around the Mediterranean basin and two laboratory populations were examined for their electrophoretic profiles at two esterase loci. The genetic distances among wild and laboratory populations were consistently greater than the distances among wild populations. There was a pattern in this genetic differentiation, in that the most common allele decreased in frequency during culture in the laboratory, thus causing an increase of heterozygosity in laboratory populations. The findings are discussed in the light of assessing the genetic quality of mass-laboratory (or factory) cultures of economically important insects. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG GENETISCHE UNTERSCHIEDE ZWISCHEN NATURLICHEN UND IM LABORATORIUM GEZUCHTETEN POPULATIONEN DER OLIVENFLIEGE DACUS OLEAE (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) Die elektrophoretischen Profile zweier Esterase-Loci von zwolf naturlichen Populationen der Olivenfliege Dacus oleae aus Landern des Mittelmeerbeckens und von zwei Laboratorium-Populationen wurden untersucht. Die genetischen Abstande zwischen naturlichen und Laboratorium-Populationen waren konsistent grosser als die Abstande zwischen naturlichen Populationen. Bei dieser genetischen Differenzierung zeigte sich eine Regelmassigkeit. Die haufigsten Allele nahmen wahrend der Zucht im Laboratorium in ihrer Haufigkeit ab, was zu einer Zunahme der Heterozygosis in Laboratorium-Populationen fuhrte. Diese Resultate werden diskutiert im Zusammenhang mit der genetischen Qualitat von Massenzuchten wirtschaftlich wichtiger Insekten im Laboratorium und in der Industrie.

Abstract: The nutritional requirements for survival and reproduction of the adult olive fruit fly, Dacus oleae (Gmelin), were investigated using a basal chemically defined diet. For satisfactory survival the most important ingredient was sucrose. About 2 eggs were produced per female per day on a sucrose solution. Metabolites were transferred from larval to adult stages. Amino acids allowed a substantial increase in egg production only when minerals were present in the diets. The addition of vitamins increased fecundity on diets containing sucrose, amino acids, and minerals to 11–12 eggs/female per egg-laying day. The addition of cholesterol or RNA alone did not significantly affect egg production; when both were added fecundity was positively affected. For egg hatchability, the most important constituent was vitamins. Cholesterol increased fertility only when added to the more complete diets.

Abstract: 沖縄県農業試験場八重山支場のウリミバエ大量増殖施設で,33.3±1.2-41.3±2.9世代(平均値±標準偏差×2)大量増殖された「大量累代増殖虫」と「野生系統虫」の交尾能力および交尾競争力について比較した。1. 十分に性成熟したと思われる野生虫または増殖虫の雄雌同志をケージ(30×30×45cm)に1対ずつ入れた場合,その交尾能力は,野生虫より増殖虫が高かった。また成虫の餌としてカボチャの薄片を入れると,野生虫の交尾能力が向上したが増殖虫では変化がなかった。2. ケージ(30×30×45cm)に野生虫と増殖虫を競争条件において交尾させた結果,増殖虫は野生虫より交尾競争力が高かった。3. ケージの大きさと密度をそれぞれかえて,野生雄と増殖雄の交尾競争力を比較すると,1頭当りの空間の広さが小さい場合,増殖虫の交尾率が高く,野生虫の交尾率が低いが,1頭当りの空間の広さが大きくなると,増殖虫の交尾率は低下し,野生虫の交尾率は逆に高くなり,両者のちがいがちぢまった。4. 以上の結果から,増殖虫は人工飼料と,よりせまい空間とに適応していると考えられ,小型の容器を用いた実験結果のみから野外に放飼した大量増殖,不妊虫の性的競争力をおしはかることは危険であると結論される。

Abstract: Somatic chromosomes and Giemsa C-banding patterns of three species of fruit flies belonging to the genus Dacus, viz., D. cucurbitae, D. zonatus and D. diversus are described. There are five pairs of long, euchromatic autosomes and one pair of smaller sex chromosomes which are homomorphic in females (XX) and heteromorphic in males (XY). In all the species the Y chromosome is in the form of a dot while the X chromosome varies in morphology. The autosomes of D. cucurbitae and D. zonatus are characterized by distinct C-bands, however, the C-bands are not very clear in 1). diversus. Y chromosomes in all the species are C-band positive. The X chromosomes of D. cucurbitae and D. diversus are C-band positive but those of D. zonatus show only a small interstitial band. orchards and fields and brought to the laboratory to obtain larvae and pupae of D. zonatus, D. cucurbitae and D. diversus, respectively. Stocks were maintained in the laboratory at 26-28°C. Adults were fed on enzymatic yeast hydrolysate (N.B.C.) and sugar solution. Pieces of pumpkin were provided for oviposition and larvae allowed to grow on the same for 4-5 days. For pupation sand was provided and when pupation was complete, pupae were collected from the sand and transferred to insect rearing cages in petri dishes to maintain the next generation. The cytological techniques used were identical to those reported by Kaul et al. (1978).

Abstract: Dacus dorsalis Hendel is the predominant species of fruit-fly (99.8%) found in a carambola orchard. Population level was found to be correlated (r = 0.56) with rainfall. Infestation of fruits began 29 days after fruit set. Laboratory studies show that among the three species of fruitflies tested for attractiveness to methyl eugenol, male of D. dorsalis and D. umbrosus showed no significant difference but both are significantly different (p < 0.05) with D. cucurbitae. Virgin adult males of D. dorsalis more than 20 days old were greatly attracted to methyl eugenol

Abstract: Dacus cucumis, a pest of cucurbits throughout coastal areas of Queensland, has been recorded only twice in the Northern Territory. Five additional records of this species from four different localities in the Northern Territory are now reported.

Abstract: A laboratory bioassay was developed for monitoring the quality of mass-reared pupae and was tested on 3 tephritid fruit fly species, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), Dacus dorsalis Hendel, and D. cucurbitae Coquillett. This procedure incorporates an adult flight capability test with the traditional measures of pupal quality in terms of size and eclosion rate. The bioassay enables the assessment of production quality of flies and provides quantitative data which can be used as a basis for comparison. This is a simple and reliable method that provides useful information with minimum effort.

Abstract: The major component of the sex pheromone of the olive fly has been shown to be 1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5] undecane (1) and its structure has been confirmed by unambiguous synthesis; field studies have confirmed its biological activity.

Abstract: The major component of the sex pheromone of the olive fly has been shown to be 1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5] undecane (1) and its structure has been confirmed by unambiguous synthesis; field studies have confirmed its biological activity.