Population dynamics of fruit fly, Bactrocera spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh, India

Annual monitoring of the population dynamics of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera spp Hendle (Diptera: Tephritedae) in Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh, India was conducted by bottle trap and wooden block trap in 2004 and 2005 and factors including temperature, rainfall and host species with respect to the population fluctuation were analyzed systematically. The results showed that the fruit fly was present all the year round in Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh. In Lucknow destrict, the first catch in bottle trap was in the 7^th standard week in both year 2004 and 2005 at an average of 10.53 and 9.67 flies/trap/week, respectively. However, trap catch were observed in the wooden block traps in the 3^rd standard week in 2004 and 2005 (14.50 and 3.67 flies/trap/week, respectively). The peak average population of Bactrocera spp. was 420 and 1499 flies/trap/week in 25^th standard week in bottle and wooden block traps, respectively in the year 2004. The weathe parameters during 25^th standard week showed the average maximum and minimum temperatures of 37.7°C and 25°C respectively, maximum and minimum relative humidity was 89°C and 73 per cent respectively and the total rainfall was 19.4 cm during the first year of experiment. The peak average population (399 and 1398 flies/trap/week) during the year 2005 was attained in the 26^th standard week in bottle trap and wooden block trap, respectively. In the corresponding 26^th standard week of the second year, the maximum and minimum temperature relative humidity and the total rain fall was 42 and 25.7°C, 61 and 41 percent and 51 mm., respectively.