ABSTRACT
The melon fly, Bactrocera Cucurbitae not only causes serious damage to cucurbit crops but also infests various fruits and vegetables. In the Southwestern Islands there are two programs, Kagoshima and Okinawa Prefecture, aimed at eradicating the melon fly and lifting the ban on the transportation of host fruits. J. Koyama et al. estimated that the total number of mature male flies in Okinawa Island and adjacent islets at their most abundant season was about 38 million. The eradication project was begun in October 1989 in Yaeyama Islands, which is the final target area of eradication of the melon fly in the prefecture. The chapter argues that the distribution of sterile flies was going to create variable ratios to that of wild flies and thus will help us to identify the locations of hot spots. The additional releases based on field trap data is good strategy for the success of sterile insect technique.
