(1) Monitoring of Drosophila suzukii is based on the use of effective traps and baits. The current baits are insufficient to provide efficient monitoring. The use of bacteria as bio-catalyzers to produce bioactive volatiles may improve flies’ attraction. Thus, we conducted this work to improve Droskidrink^® bait’s attractiveness using lactic acid bacteria. (2) Different baits that were based on the use of Droskidrink^® were assessed for flies’ attraction in a Droso-Trap^® in a vineyard. Oenococcus oeni, Pediococcus spp., and Lactobacillus spp. were used. The performance of the most attractive species, O. oeni, inoculated into Droskidrink^® was assessed in laboratory tests. The responses of female flies to volatiles produced by Droskidrink^® with O. oeni strains were recorded by electroantennography. (3) Preliminary field assessment of baits recorded O. oeni as the most attractive species. Three strain groups showed adaptation to test conditions. Volatiles extracted by the headspace of baits inoculated with O. oeni, elicited electroantennographic responses from fly antennae. (4) Droskidrink^® inoculated with O. oeni is a highly attractive bait for monitoring. These findings will be useful for improving the attractiveness of D. suzukii commercial baits based on the utilization of LAB volatiles in a strain-dependent manner.

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), native to Eastern Asia, is an invasive alien species in Europe and the Americas, where it is a severe pest of horticultural crops, including soft fruits and wine grapes. The conventional approach to controlling infestations of SWD involves the use of insecticides, but the frequency of application for population management is undesirable. Consequently, alternative strategies are urgently needed. Effective and improved trapping is important as an early risk detection tool. This study aimed to improve Droskidrink^® (DD), a commercially available attractant for SWD. We focused on the chemical and behavioral effects of adding the bacterium Oenococcus oeni (Garvie) to DD and used a new trap design to enhance the effects of attractive lures. We demonstrate that microbial volatile compounds produced by O. oeni are responsible for the increase in the attractiveness of the bait and could be later utilized for the development of a better trapping system. Our results showed that the attractiveness of DD was increased up to two-fold by the addition of commercially available O. oeni when combined with an innovative trap design. The new trap-bait combination increased the number of male and especially female catches at low population densities.

Species identification of scale insects is usually made during the adult female period. However, early nymphal stages are targeted in the control of these pests. Plum Lecanium, Sphaerolecanium prunastri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) is an economically important pest of stone fruits, almonds, and ornamental Prunus species in Turkey as well as worldwide. The first–instar, second–instar male and female, and third–instar female of plum scale are redescribed and illustrated. We present diameters, position, distribution, and number of pors (simple, bilocular, trilocular pores, micro–ducts, tubular ducts, spiracular disc–pores), and marginal setae in all immature stages of Plum Lecanium that have not been given descriptions from different authors previously. We recorded the presence of heavy rimmed pores in second–instar males and females. An identification key is provided for all instars and adult females.

The dependence on adult female morphology for the determination of soft scale insect species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) creates several problems. In this paper, various nymphal stages of soft scale insects from the Ankara district of Türkiye and Israel, belonging to Coccidae: subfamily Eulecaniinae, namely Eulecanium cerasorum (Cockerell), E. ciliatum (Douglas), E. tiliae (Linnaeus), Paleolecanium bituberculatum (Signoret), Physokermes piceae (Schrank) and Rhodoccus perornatus (Cockerell & Parrott) were studied. The morphology of all the nymphal stages of these species is described and illustrated, and identification keys are provided to each instar. The results show that nymphal stages can be used to accurately identify soft scale insect species.