Back-yard medfly is a key factor in area-wide management in Southern Europe. Data from Attiki Greece, 38

A twelve month Mediterranean fruit-fly, medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) record was kept in a small back-yard with 8 medfly host fruit trees in a neighborhood about 7 km from the center of Athens, from November 2015 till November 2016. Similar small back-yards exist in the whole area. Large commercial host tree plantations exist at about 80 km west of Athens, while backyards with fruit trees exist in villages or small towns in-between. McPhail yellow bottom traps (one per tree) with Biolure (3 separate dispensers of ammonium acetate, trimethylamine, and putrescine) and a water solution of 1.5% sodium tetraborate and a few drops of kitchen detergent were used. Traps were examined approximately every week and water solution renewed. The Biolure dispensers were renewed every 3-4 months. On the average (medflies per tree-trap per day) 1.4 flies were trapped in November, less than 1 were trapped between December and early May, except mid-April when 1.7 flies were trapped.From June till October high records were detected. In June-July records up to over 52.7 flies were observed (highest population peak in the year), while in September October records up to 34.3 flies were observed (second highest population peak in the year). The sex ratio of trapped flies was almost always in favor of females, usually between 60-100%. An increase of medfly catches was always detected following Biolure dispensers renewal. In case Area-wide SITapplications are considered, the reproductive behavior of released flies in these special environments must be well investigated

Υellow sticky rectangle with ammonium acetate slow-release dispenser: an efficient long-lasting trap for Dacus oleae

Ο συνδυασμός κίτρινου παραλληλεπίπεδου (14x20 εκ.) με κόλλα και κάψουλα οξεικού αμμωνίου βραδείας απελευθέρωσης (ΚΟΑ) συγκρίθηκε με ίδια παγίδα χωρίς οξεικό αμμώνιο (Κ), καθώς και με παγίδες γυάλινες McPhail με προσελκυστικό Buminal (MB) ή Entomozyl (ΜΕ) ή θειική αμμωνία (ΜΘΑ) σε 2% διάλυμα νερού, από τις αρχές Αυγούστου μέχρι τις αρχές Δεκεμβρίου. Όταν συγκρίθηκαν οι συνολικές συλλήψεις δάκου ελιάς σε όλη την περίοδο, δεν βρέθηκαν μεγάλες διαφορές ανάμεσα στις παγίδες ΚΟΑ, MB και ΜΕ, ενώ οι παγίδες Κ και ΜΘΑ έπιασαν πολύ λιγότερα έντομα. Όταν οι συνολικές συλλήψεις εκφράστηκαν σαν λόγος κάθε παγίδας προς την παγίδα ΚΟΑ τότε η αποδοτικότητα των παγίδων ήταν: 1 (ΚΟΑ)-0,95 (ΜΒ)-0,7 (ΜΕ)-0,33 (Κ)-0,08 (ΜΘΑ). Το φθινόπωρο (μεγάλος δακοπληθυσμός), οι παγίδες ΚΟΑ και Κ έπιασαν πάρα πολλά έντομα ενώ οι παγίδες McPhail είχαν συγκριτικά μειωμένη απόδοση προφανώς λόγω χαμηλών θερμοκρασιών και υψηλής υγρασίας. Το αντίθετο συνέβη τον Αύγουστο-Σεπτέμβριο (θερμός-ξηρός καιρός, μικρός δακοπληθυσμός).Οι παγίδες McPhail εφοδιάζοντο με φρέσκο διάλυμα προσελκυστικού κάθε περίπου μέρες το καλοκαίρι και 7 μέρες το φθινόπωρο. Οι κίτρινες παγίδες αντικαταστάθηκαν με καινούργιες μια φορά μόνο, στις αρχές Οκτωβρίου. Η κάψουλα οξεικού αμμωνίου μπορούσε να διαρκέσει πολύ περισσότερο (συνολικά περί τους 4 μήνες) αλλά οι επιφάνειες των παγίδων είχαν ήδη καλυφτεί με έντομα και άλλα αντικείμενα (φύλλα, κλαδάκια κ.λπ.).The combination of a yellow color sticky rectangle with an ammonium acetate slow-release dispenser (YAA) was compared to a yellow sticky rectangle (Y) and to a McPhail glass trap with BuminalTM(MB), EntomozylTM(ME), or ammonium sulfate (MAS) odor lure in a 2% water solution, from the beginning of August till December in an olive grove. When total olive fruit fly, Dacus oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae), captures were compared, no large differences were detected among YAA, MB and ME traps, while Y and MAS ones were found much inferior. When expressed as a ratio to YAA, total captures were: 1 (YAA), 0.95 (MB), 0.70 (ME), 0.33 (Y) and 0.08 (MAS). In the fall (high population density), both yellow traps showed very high catches, while McPhail odor traps had comparatively reduced effectiveness, apparently due to cool humid weather. The opposite was true in August-September (hot dry weather, low population density). McPhail traps were serviced every 5 days (summer) or 7 days (fall), while YAA and Y traps were replaced by new ones only once, at the beginning of October. The am­monium acetate dispenser could last much longer but traps had been covered by insects and debris

Genetic elimination of field-cage populations of Mediterranean fruit flies

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) is a pest of over 300 fruits, vegetables and nuts. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a control measure used to reduce the reproductive potential of populations through the mass release of sterilized male insects that mate with wild females. However, SIT flies can display poor field performance, due to the effects of mass-rearing and of the irradiation process used for sterilization. The development of female-lethal RIDL (release of insects carrying a dominant lethal) strains for medfly can overcome many of the problems of SIT associated with irradiation. Here, we present life-history characterizations for two medfly RIDL strains, OX3864A and OX3647Q. Our results show (i) full functionality of RIDL, (ii) equivalency of RIDL and wild-type strains for life-history characteristics, and (iii) a high level of sexual competitiveness against both wild-type and wild-derived males. We also present the first proof-of-principle experiment on the use of RIDL to eliminate medfly populations. Weekly releases of OX3864A males into stable populations of wild-type medfly caused a successive decline in numbers, leading to eradication. The results show that genetic control can provide an effective alternative to SIT for the control of pest insects

An Examination of the Relationship Between Stock Index Cash and Futures Markets: A Cointegration Approach

The existence of price discovery, market efficiency and market stability associated with spot and futures markets continues as a prominent discussion among academics, practitioners and regulators. Numerous papers examine the role of price discovery in the futures markets for various types of commodities and financial assets. Generally, the studies by Garbade and Silber (1983), Herbst, McCormack and West (1987), Kawaller, Koch and Koch (1987) and Schroeder and Goodwin (1991) indicate that price discovery occurs more significantly in the futures market compared to the cash market

Comparing the MRI Appearance of the Lymph Nodes and Spleen in Wild-Type and Immuno-Deficient Mouse Strains

The goal of this study was to investigate the normal MRI appearance of lymphoid organs in immuno-competent and immuno-deficient mice commonly used in research. Four mice from each of four different mouse strains (nude, NOG, C57BL/6, CB-17 SCID (SCID)) were imaged weekly for one month. Images were acquired with a 3D balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) sequence. The volume of the lymph nodes and spleens were measured from MR images. In images of nude and SCID mice, lymph nodes sometimes contained a hyperintense region visible on MRI images. Volumes of the nodes were highly variable in nude mice. Nodes in SCID mice were smaller than in nude or C57Bl/6 mice (p<0.0001). Lymph node volumes changed slightly over time in all strains. The spleens of C57Bl/6 and nude mice were similar in size and appearance. Spleens of SCID and NOG mice were significantly smaller (p<0.0001) and abnormal in appearance. The MRI appearance of the normal lymph nodes and spleen varies considerably in the various mouse strains examined in this study. This is important to recognize in order to avoid the misinterpretation of MRI findings as abnormal when these strains are used in MRI imaging studies