The Male Annihilation Technique in the Control of Fruit Flies

In a test of the male annihilation technique involving all of the Bonin Islands in the Western Pacific, aerial distribution of Celotex wafers impregnated with methyleugenol containing 3% Dibrom at the rate of 70 or more per square mile along flight lines about 1/5 mile apart reduced the oriental fruit fly to only 28 males per 1000 trap days on Chichi Jima in 12 months. Indications are that use of the method on incipient infestations of the oriental fruit fly that may be found in continental United States will prevent their further development and spread, with eradication being a definite possibility. Male attractants for other tropical fruit flies are strong enough to warrant consideration as possible male annihilation agents.