Bait spray experiments against Rhagoletis cerasi were carried out in 2005 to 2007. The
main principle of this method is to use food (e.g. sugar and proteins) as baits for the flies
with small amounts of insecticides, which is applied on parts of the cherry tree. Main focus
was aimed at laboratory and field cage experiments using the commercial GF-120
Naturalyte Fruit Fly BaitTM with the insecticide spinosad, which is registered against North
American cherry fruit fly species in the US and Canada. Furthermore, additional bait spray
formulations as alternatives to GF-120 were used to define the right food bait quality for a
high attractiveness and low reproduction ability. Beyond, the negative effect on
reproduction of flies for azadirachtin (neem) was shown. During this project, promising
results, e.g. efficacies up to 99 % with infestation rates below the infestation threshold
were obtained. From 2008 on, other insecticides, like azadirachtin (neem) and pyrethrine
in an appropriate food bait mixture will be used. Questions like efficacy, adequate
concentrations, persistence, rainfastness and practicability in commercial cherry orchards
will be answered
