Suppression of Mediterranean Fruit Fly Populations with SIT in Two Habitats: A Coffee Agroecosystem with a Braconid Parasitoid and a Forest with Scattered Patches of Understory Coffee

Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), one of the most costly insects in the world, became an economic pest widespread throughout the Hawaiian Islands shortly after establishment in 1910. Wild coffee patches support smaller local Ceratitis capitata populations. An area-wide control method for Ceratitis capitata populations is the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). The forest area study was based upon releases of 176 million sterile insects by helicopter during an 8-month period. Collections of ripe fruits were used to evaluate the program. SIT can achieve moderate suppression of a large Ceratitis capitata population in a coffee agroecosystem.