Insecticides Evaluated for Quarantine Use Against Caribbean Fruit Fly, 1979 and 1980

Thirty-one insecticides, combinations of insecticides and varying dose rates of toxicants were evaluated for use on international aircraft flights. Laboratory strain flies were caged In screen-capped 1-pint cardboard ice-cream cartons, ca. 100 adult flies/cage, and 4 cages were used for each test replicate. A 71-M empty trailer van provided a test area simulating the interior space of an aircraft. One cage was taped to each of three walls (right, left, and front) at ca. 1.5 M high and one to the van ceiling (ca. 3 M high) at a central location. Dusts were formulated with HiSil 233 as an inert carrier and propelled with a pressurized CO2 cylinder. Aerosols were released from standard pressurized hand-held cans. The emulsifiable concentrates (EC) and ultra low volume concentrates (ULV) were applied with portable power-operated equipment. Aerosols were released inside closed trailers, sprays and dusts introduced through the right rear door. The insect toxicant exposure period was 30 minutes, 10 minutes with the van doors closed and 20 more with one door open. The cages containing the flies were then removed and 30-minute knock down (KD) counts made. At 24 hours following toxicant exposure a final mortality count was made. The average temperatures during the test period were 23°C in the April 1979 tests and 20°C in the April 1980 tests in Miami, Florida. Most tests were replicated 3 or 4 times except where noted differently. Tabulated mortality data is the mean for the replicates corrected for control mortality.