Marking Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) with fluorescent pigments : effects of pigment colour and concentration

摘要

Daylight fluorescent pigment powders are frequently used to self-mark tephritid flies thatare released in sterile insect technique programmes and for studies on their populationecology, movement and behaviour. This study was conducted to determine the effects ofpigment colour and dose in marking the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)(Diptera: Tephritidae). Six pigment colours (Astral Pink 1, Blaze 5, Stellar Green 8, LunarYellow 27, Comet Blue 60 and Invisible Blue 70) were applied to pupae at doses of 0, 2, 4, or6 g/l. Under laboratory conditions, pigment colour had a small but significant effect on thenumber of partially emerged and deformed adults; the fewest of these were observed whenflies were marked with Astral Pink 1. Pigment concentration, on the other hand, had noeffect on adult emergence, partial emergence, deformed adults and mortality on the last dayof eclosion. There was no significant effect of pigment colour on adult survival under laboratoryand semi-field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, however, there was an effect ofpigment concentration on adult survival depending on pigment colour. Visibility under anultraviolet light and persistence of marks was significantly affected by pigment colour andconcentration when observed under laboratory conditions, but not under semi-field conditions.Regardless of colour or dose, pigments used in the study were visible for at least 14days, but began to fade by 21 days after adult eclosion. To mark B. dorsalis under temperate,warmsummer African conditions, all pigment colours tested in this study may be applied at2–4 g/l pupae. Recaptures ofmarkedandreleased fliesmaybe underestimated as the flies age.