ABSTRACT
Certain species of the Bactrocera dorsalis complex are important pests affecting pre- and post-harvest of cultivated fruits and vegetables. The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, not found naturally in Malaysia, is a serious pest for farmers throughout the tropics and subtropics. This chapter describes further benefits derived after pharmacophagy of methyl eugenol (ME). It examines the production of sex and male aggregation pheromones after ME consumption by males of three species of the B. dorsalis complex, the Oriental fruit fly, B. carambolae, and B. papayae and improvement in mating competition by ME-fed males of the Oriental fruit fly and B. papayae. The Oriental fruit fly and B. papayae were cultured using artificial larval media, while B. carambolae was cultured using fresh starfruits. ME is a precursor to sex and aggregation pheromones in the three species of the B. dorsalis complex. The compounds identified from the rectal glands of male B. papayae have previously been reported.
