MX2014001788A - Prolonged-action device for monitoring and controlling fruit flies (diptera:tephritidae). - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention refers to a method and device for the prolonged monitoring and control of fruit flies of the Tephritidae family. This invention combines for first time visual stimuli with baits and liquid insecticides used in the chemical combat of flies. The innovation of this product lies in the device that releases the mixture, which is based on the barometer of Torricelli, which is inserted in the inner portion of a sphere which size and color are attractive to flies, which enables the insecticide-bait mixture to be released by a prolonged time and which simultaneously allows the biological activity of the components to be maintained. The invention, compared to other traps, is advantageous due to its capacity to attract and retain flies. Another advantage refers to the re-baiting services, which are performed every 3 months. Another advantage is that even though it is a wet trap, it can be checked in the same manner as dry traps, since the liquid is not sieved for separating the cap tured flies.

Description

PROLONGED ACTION DEVICE FOR MONITORING AND CONTROL OF FRUIT FLIES (Diptera: Tephritidae) TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention belongs to the agricultural field of agriculture, particularly to the area of devices for attracting and capturing noxious animals and more particularly it refers to a trap and a baiting station to attract, capture and / or control flies of the fruit of the family Tephritidae.

BACKGROUND Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are considered among the fruit pests of greater commercial importance throughout the world (Barnes 2004).

Many species belonging to the genera Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, Rhagoletis, and Toxotrypana are notorious pests (Barnes 2004). Historically, Control of these insect pests is done through fumigants, toxic baits (a food bait mixed with an insecticide), biological control by means of parasitoids and sometimes by the use of the sterile insect technique (TIE; "sterile insect technique" or SIT, in English) (IAEA 2003). However, the use in Large scale toxic bait, despite its high efficacy, is questionable because of its negative impact on the beneficial entomofauna (Asquith and Messing 1992; and Dahlsten 1993).

An alternative to the spraying of insecticides to control insects Plague is represented by massive trapping. The use of traps with olfactory attractants it is one of the oldest methods used for monitoring and suppressing fly populations of the futa (Steiner 1952). In recent years, they have been exploring the use of massive trapping and bait stations (lure antf kilt) i as an alternative to periodic spraying of orchards with an insecticide-bait (Navarro et al., 2008). This method consists in using traps at a sufficient density to reduce the damage in the orchards to levels below the economic threshold. The use of massive traps and bait stations has the advantage of reducing contamination by insecticides since, by using less insecticide, their contact with the fruits and the environment is limited (Lux et al., 2003). Massive trapping also reduces the impact on beneficial entomofauna (Putruele and Mouques 2005).

An efficient trap is one that, simulating the stimuli that the flies use to find their resources, manages to attract and trap mainly a large number of white insects. One of the important objectives is that the attractant and the insecticide action can last the fruiting period of fruit trees with commercial value. Lengthening the duration of action of attractants and insecticides will facilitate the management of traps by reducing service and re-breeding activities.

Although there are systems of prolonged release of attractants combined with insecticides, these are mainly used with volatile compounds such as parapheromones in flies of the genus Bactrocera and Ceratitis capitata that attract mainly males (Vargas et al., 2000, 2003). The insecticide used in the massive trapping for fly control is dichlorvos or 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP). Its application in the trap is intended to prevent flies from escaping (Steiner 1957).

Unlike male attractants that are based on sexual behavior, females of fruit flies are attracted to traps with phago-stimulant baits. Although there is a prolonged release system (Biolure) based on phago-stimulant attractants (putrecin and ammonium acetate) contained in a gel, a release system has not been developed prolonged that combines insecticides-food bait that includes an insecticide. The main problem with these baits is that the insecticide does not maintain its effect for the same period as the attractant lasts. Conventionally, in the combat of the flies, wet traps are also used, which do allow the bait to be mixed with the insecticide (IAEA 2003). However, these baits are easily broken down by fungi and bacteria and lose their attractive power (Navarro-Llopis and Vacas 2013). The following table shows the retention times in weeks for the wet traps with attractants based on food baits (IAEA 2003): Common name Acronym Chemical Formulation Longevity in field a) Protein baits: Yeast Torula / borax TY Yeast Pellet 1-2 Torula / borax Protein derivatives HP Protein Liquid 1-2 hydrolyzed b) Food baits synthetic: Ammonium Acetate Ammonium AA + Base 4-6 Acetic acid Membrane- Wet traps have an invagination where flies enter to feed on a toxic bait (hydrolyzed protein + boric acid and borate (IAEA 2003) .This design, however, presents management problems and also a low rate of attraction and capture of flies (Prokopy and Economopoulos 1975, Díaz-Fleischer et al., 2009).

The most common wet traps are: The McPhail trap, the Multilure trap, the Domo trap, and the Tephri trap. The McPhail trap is the oldest trap to monitor tephritid females (McPhail 1939). Consists in a bottle with an invagination in the bottom for the exit of volatiles and the entrance of the flies. Once the flies enter the trap he has difficulty leaving. However, its effectiveness in attracting and retaining flies has been questioned (Aluja et al 1989, Díaz-Fleischer et al 2009). The McPhail trap has historically been the standard trap used in the trapping of several tephritidae species including Bactrocera spp., C. capitata, and Anastrepha spp. (Epsky et al., 2011).

Multilure trap The Multilure trap (Better World MFG Inc., Fresno, CA, USA) has several advantages over the McPhail trap, easy to service and with the possibility to use in combination with several liquid and dry attractants. In terms of capture effectiveness, it has been observed that a very low proportion of flies visiting the trap are trapped (20.8% and 10.3% of A. obliqua and A. ludens, respectively). Thus, although the Multilure trap successfully exploits the visual and olfactory response of flies, there is still an important field of improvement in the design that in turn increases the effectiveness of the trap (Diaz-Fleischer et al., 2009).

Domo trap The Domo trap (AgriSense, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, UK) (Katsoyannos 1994) consists of a 15 cm high clear dome mounted on an invaginated yellow base 5 cm deep. The total height of the trap is 20 cm with a diameter at the junction of 15 cm. Protein-based liquid baits are used in this trap.

Tephri Trap. The Tephri trap (Agro Alcoy, Alcoy, Spain) (Katsoyannos 1994) consists of an invaginated yellow base 11 cm deep with an opaque top (»3.5 cm high). The total height of the trap is 14 cm, and the diameter at the junction of the lid and the base is 12 cm. It has four entrance holes for the flies, 2.1 cm in diameter, placed at 90 ° from each other, and 1 cm from the upper edge of the base. In a study of Katsoyannos (1994), a dispenser was fitted to the trap, which consisted of a plastic fitted to an edge of the upper part of the base. A 1-cm2 tape with the insecticide dichlorvos was placed in the dispenser. Typically with this trap, baits based on liquid proteins are used to attract flies.

Many of these traps have been used in massive trapping systems (1) Tephri-trap barley with the attractive Tri-pack (ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine (Campos-Rivela et al., 2008; Martínez-Ferrer et al., 2006; 2011), (2) Probodelt® (Maxitrap®, model, Amposta, Tarragona, Spain) traps with Ferag CC DTM® attractant (SEDQ, Barcelona, Spain) (three membrane dispensers of trimethylamine, ammonium acetate and diaminoalkane) ( Martinez-Ferrer et al., 2011), and (3) Multilure trap (Better World Manufacturing) primed with Biolure.

Normally, the traps cited have the disadvantages that use liquid baits with a fall in their attractive qualities, so that rearing should be done in periods ranging from 8 to 30 days. Another disadvantage is that it has a deficiency in the retention of the insects that enter the trap.

The deficiencies found in the method / product compared are, mainly, the impossibility of using, for a long time, the toxic baits used in the sprays (i.e., GF-120, Malthion + hydrolyzed protein). That is, despite the fact that long-lived attractants have been developed, there is no mechanism to keep the insecticide alone or the bait-insecticide mixtures active.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the aforementioned problems of the state of the art, the present invention provides a method and a device for the prolonged release of any liquid insecticide-bait mixture designed for the control of flies of the fruit of the family Tephritidae, which allows both the insecticide and the bait maintain their activity and effectiveness for periods of up to three months. Specifically, the system includes a dispenser of an insecticide mixture + bait. The dispenser of the liquid mixture is based on the principle of the Torricelli barometer which, combined with a visual attractor based on a hollow sphere (simulating a fruit) with holes or slots that allow both the exit of the volatiles and the entrance of the insects Therefore, a protection object of the present invention refers to a device for prolonged action for the monitoring and control of insects, characterized in that it comprises a hollow sphere of color that simulates a fruit that serves as an external visual attractor, divided by the half in the equator of the sphere, which has A) a system to hang the trap; B) a mechanism of union of the two halves of the hollow sphere; C) a mechanism of openings (slots) to allow the access of the flies to the interior of the trap located in the lower hemisphere of the sphere; D) an attachment that allows the sphere to remain upright, without rolling; and in its interior houses a prolonged release device of insecticide-bait comprising E) an inverted vessel that forms a column of enclosed liquid whose lower part is slightly open containing an insecticide-bait mixture; F) an outlet point for liquids and fixation to the H) fly feeder plate; G) a point of attachment to the drinking bowl; said E) container is coupled to the H) drinking dish that receives the weight of the liquid column and that exactly compensates for the weight of the atmosphere, which allows the liquid to slowly exit the container.

Another object of protection is a method for monitoring and controlling insect pests comprising the steps of placing the device described in claim 1 in the areas in which insect pests will be attracted and induced to perch and enter the interior of the simulated fruit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 represents the hollow sphere that can be opened in half (the equator of the sphere), where A) is the hook system to hang the trap; B) is the point of union of the two halves of the hollow sphere; C) are the access slots of the flies; and D) are the legs of the trap.

Figure 2 is the prolonged release device that goes inside the trap sphere, where E) is the container that contains the insecticide-bait mixture; F) is the point of exit of the liquids and of fixation to the dish sprue of the flies; C) are the access slots of the flies; G) is the attachment point to the drinking bowl; and H) is the drinking dish.

Figure 3 is the diagram of the two parts that make up the integrated trap, the outer sphere and the dispenser with the insecticide-bait.

Figure 4 is the outline of the outer sphere of the bait station.

Figure 5 is the outline of the two parts that make up the bait station.

Figure 6 is the graph that shows the attractiveness of the sphere without bait compared to a Multilure trap without bait. The average and standard error of the number of insects that visited the traps and fed on the bait are reported.

Figure 7 is the graph that shows the duration of attraction of toxic baits emanating from the trap for different periods of time and exposed to environmental conditions.

Figure 8 is the graph showing the duration of the insecticidal capacity of the mixture for different periods of time. The average and standard error of the percentage of dead insects is reported.

SPECIFICATION OF THE INVENTION The present invention defines a device-trap for flying insects comprising: an external visual attractor represented by a hollow sphere, between 9 and 20 cm in diameter, of an attractive color for insects (yellow, or red, or green, depending of the species of fly), which can be opened in half (the equator of the sphere) that has A) a system to hang the trap in the branches of trees, B) a mechanism of union of the two halves of the hollow sphere (for example, button-slot), C) a mechanism of openings (slots) to allow the access of the flies to the interior of the trap located in the lower hehere of the sphere and D) an attachment (legs) that allow the sphere to remain upright, without rolling, when placed on a horizontal surface for service (figure 1). A device of prolonged release of insecticide-bait that goes inside the trap sphere (figure 2) consisting of: E) a container containing the insecticide-bait mixture, G) a mechanism (thread or pressure) fixing from the container to the dish of the fly trough with a liquid outlet point, H) a trough for flies. Figure 3 shows the outline of the two parts that make up the integrated trap, the outer sphere and the dispenser with the insecticide-bait. Figures 4 and 5 outline the bait station (lure and kill system). It should be noted that the bait station does not require the division of the sphere into two parts and that it also removes half of the lower hehere of the sphere to facilitate the entry of flies.

As for the capacity of visual attraction of the trap, in figure 6 the capacity of attraction of the sphere without bait in comparison with a Multilure trap without bait is shown. The average and standard error of the number of insects that visited the traps are reported. Figure 7 shows the duration of attraction (Mean + EE) of the toxic baits emanating from the trap for different periods of time and exposed to environmental conditions. Figure 8 shows the duration of the insecticidal capacity of the mixture for different periods of time. The average and standard error of the percentage of dead insects is reported after 72 hours of exposure of the flies to the mixture. Note that there is no difference in the mortality of flies exposed to the fresh mixture (0 days of exposure to the environment) and after 42 in the field.

The novelty of this design is that it includes a device for prolonged release of the insecticide-bait, which allows both the insecticide and the bait to maintain their activity and effectiveness for periods of up to three months. Unlike the traps and existing bait stations, our designs combine the spherical shape and an attractive color for flies with insecticides-baits, which makes their attraction and effectiveness in general improve substantively and for long periods.

The solution offered by the present invention to the problem of the frequent re-setting of the trap and the loss of activity of the insecticide is to insert a device based on the Torricelli barometer principle into the hollow sphere. This device allows the insecticide-bait mixture to slowly exit the container, which allows the mixture to remain biologically active for prolonged periods when being in a container without direct contact with the environment.

In field cage studies of 3 m diameter by 2 m in height it was found that the trap device of the present invention is visually more attractive than the most used commercial wet trap; the Multilure. Direct observations of the behavior of insects around the traps show that the number of insects visiting the new device approximately doubles that of the views of the Multilure trap (Figure 6).

By exposing the traps in the field for periods of up to 48 days and then evaluated in a field cage, we have found that both the attraction capacity of the bait and the insecticidal activity, determined in laboratory bioassays, remain unchanged (Figures 7 and 8).

The technical advantages presented by the invention mainly described are: an increase in the period of reforestation that will lead to a significant decrease in the work of maintenance of the system and a reduction in the number of sprays of insecticides in the gardens. It also offers the advantage of functioning as a dry trap, which facilitates its management in monitoring activities of insect populations.

BEST METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The method and device comprising this invention provide a unique combination of visual stimuli with the baits and insecticides that have conventionally been used in the combat of tephritid plague.

There are many design factors that can affect the effectiveness of the device. These include visual stimuli such as shape, size and color, and the olfactory attractant as well as the point of exit of these volatiles. Depending on the species of fly to be controlled, the outer sphere may be yellow, green or red.

Our research showed that this new spherical trap device, with diameters between 10 and 17 cm, is visually more attractive than the conventional Multilure trap used in the control of species of flies of the genus Anastrepha, Bactrocera, Rhagoletis and Ceratitis.

An advantage of the sprue is that, following the principle of the Torricelli barometer, the weight of the column of liquid compensates exactly the weight of the atmosphere, which allows the liquid to leave the container slowly. As the dish liquid is consumed, the column of liquid lowers and fills the dish. By not being in contact with the environment, the mixture that remains inside the container does not decompose or become contaminated, allowing the content to remain active. To the mixture of insecticide-bait can be added preservatives such as propylene glycol in a percentage of between 10 to 15%, preferably 13%, which in addition to preservative is an evaporation retarder, which helps to maintain a given volume of time for a long time. insecticide-bait. Propylene glycol also controls the formation of fungi and bacteria that could alter the chemical and biological properties of the baits and insecticides used.

One of the biggest disadvantages of traps with invagination is their low capture efficiency. Although many flies visit the trap, their holding capacity is low. Our design allows flies to access the trap more easily. Despite being a wet trap, its design and the inclusion of the extended release device allows it to function as a dry trap, which facilitates the counting of captured flies. The prolonged release device is composed of an inverted container that forms a column of liquid enclosed whose lower part is slightly open and coupled to a plate that receives the liquid. This dish works as a drinking fountain for insects. Also, by making two modifications to the sphere outside, the trap can be transformed into a bait station that, when combined in the field can do the double function of monitoring and control (see figures).

Although the foregoing description was made taking into account the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be borne in mind by those skilled in the art that any modification of form and detail will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The terms in which this report has been written should always be taken in a broad and non-limiting sense. The materials, form and description of the elements, will be susceptible of variation as long as it does not suppose an alteration of the essential characteristic of the model.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS Having sufficiently described our invention, I consider it as a novelty and therefore claim as my exclusive property, what is contained in the following clauses:

1. A long-acting device for monitoring and controlling insects, characterized in that it comprises a hollow sphere of color that simulates a fruit that serves as an external visual attractor, divided in half at the equator of the sphere, which has A) a system to hang the trap; B) a mechanism of union of the two halves of the hollow sphere; C) a mechanism of openings or slots to allow the access of the flies to the interior of the trap located in the lower hemisphere of the sphere; D) an attachment that allows the sphere to remain upright, without rolling; and in its interior houses a prolonged release device of insecticide-bait comprising E) an inverted vessel that forms a column of enclosed liquid whose lower part is slightly open containing an insecticide-bait mixture; F) an outlet point for liquids and fixation to the H) fly feeder plate; G) a point of attachment to the drinking bowl; said E) container is coupled to the H) drinking dish that receives the weight of the liquid column and that exactly compensates for the weight of the atmosphere, which allows the liquid to slowly exit the container.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insect is preferably selected from the order Diptera.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insect is preferably selected from the family Tephritidae.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that as the liquid of the H) drinking plate is consumed, the column of liquid lowers and fills the plate.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insecticide-bait mixture additionally comprises preservatives.

6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the preservative is preferably selected from propylene glycol.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the propylene glycol in addition to preservative is an evaporation retarder.

8. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the propylene glycol in addition to preservative controls the formation of fungi and bacteria.

9. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the propylene glycol is present between 10 to 15%, preferably 13%.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the color of the hollow sphere simulating a fruit is selected from yellow, red, green or a combination thereof.

11. A method for monitoring and controlling insect pests, characterized in that it comprises the step of placing the device described in the preceding claims in the areas in which insect pests will be attracted and induced to perch and enter the interior of the device.