Antennnal and behavioral responses of Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) to a series of homologous terminal diamines

Current monitoring programs for Anastrepha fruit flies use a two-component synthetic attractant consisting of ammonium acetate (AA) and putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane). Identification of additional attractant chemicals may improve trapping efficacy. We examined response of the Caribbean fruit fly, A. suspensa, to putrescine and four homologous diamines, differing only in carbon chain length. Using a fixed dose of each diamine substrate, female electroantennogram (EAG) responses to putrescine and cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane) were not significantly different from each other, but were significantly greater than responses to longer chain diamines. Over a range of doses, mean female EAG response was greater than male response to both putrescine and cadaverine. In field tests, traps baited with AA plus putrescine or cadaverine captured significantly more females than traps baited with AA alone or AA plus any other diamine. Based on these results, cadaverine will be evaluated further as a potential new attractant for pest Anastrepha species.