This study aims to evaluate several life-history traits of a T. drosophilae population from southern China and its parasitic preference of three Drosophila species. For mated T. drosophilae females, the mean oviposition and parasitization period were 27.20 and 37.80 d, respectively. The daily mean parasitization rate was 59.24% per female and the lifetime number of emerged progeny was 134.30 per female. Trichopria drosophilae females survived 37.90 and 71.61 d under host-provided and host-deprived conditions, respectively. To assess the potential for unmated reproduction in T. drosophilae, the mean oviposition and parasitization period of unmated females was 22.90 and 47.70 d, respectively. They had a daily mean parasitization rate of 64.68%, produced a total of 114.80 offspring over their lifetime, and survived 52 d. Moreover, T. drosophilae showed a preference towards D. suzukii based on the total number of emerged offspring under a choice test. Our findings indicate that T. drosophilae from southern China appears to be suitable for the control of D. suzukii in invaded areas, due to its reproductive potential.

Fopius arisanus is a solitary endoparasitoid that parasitizes a variety of tephritid species. Native to the Indo-Australian region, it is currently exploited worldwide as a biological control agent due to its exceptional efficiency in reducing pest populations. The efficiency of any biological control program is affected by the host location ability of the parasitoids. The present study used a Y-tube olfactometer to test the behavioural responses of female F. arisanus to four fruit species which had undergone different types of damages: undamaged, damaged through Bactrocera dorsalis ovipositioning (i.e., infested), or different levels of mechanical damage. Our results suggest that F. arisanus females were significantly attracted to mangoes and pears (vs. purified air), regardless of their condition; however, whilst infested mangoes did not attract more female parasitoids compared to healthy or mechanically damaged fruits, infested pears attracted significantly more. For citrus fruits and peaches, oviposition damage caused them to be more attractive to parasitoid females. In terms of the longevity of the effects, infested mango fruits remained attractive for up to 5 days after infestation, whereas for infested peaches, pears, and citrus fruits, the attractiveness tended to decrease as time passed. Regarding mechanical damage, mango fruits that had undergone any intensity of damage were equally attractive to parasitoid females; however, peach and citrus fruits with high levels of mechanical damage were more attractive, and pears were found to be most attractive with slight mechanical damage. Additional to the above, we also tested the effect of insecticides on behavioural responses using mangoes. We found that the treatment of infested fruits with lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin remained attractive to F. arisanus females, albeit to different extents, which is in contrast to spinosad, cyantraniliprole, and acetamiprid. Finally, we suggest that the host-searching behaviour of F. arisanus females is mainly mediated by oviposition-induced volatiles, either emitted from the fruit or left by the fruit fly.

Zeugodacus tau is an important worldwide quarantine pest. The female adults insert their oviposition tube into the fruit epidermis to lay eggs, and the larvae feed inside the fruit. Therefore, the hazard of Z. tau primarily rely on adult egg laying and larval feeding. Zeugodacus tau is widely distributed in China and has caused serious economic losses to the industry of fruit and vegetable. Due to the need for a systematic compilation of basic biological knowledge and the increasing economic importance of fruits and vegetables, this paper systematically summarized the distribution and damage, morphological characteristics, biological characteristics and control strategies of Z. tau . Basic biological knowledge, such as geographical distribution, host species, the characteristics of its damage, spread, and transmission, characteristics of each insect stage, occurrence generations, growth and development, population dynamics, and living habits, will deepen our understanding of Z. tau . Preventive measures, such as risk analysis, prediction of suitable areas and quarantine monitoring, can guide pest prevention for crop production in safe areas. Management measures, such as agricultural control represented by fruit bagging and clean fields, physical and chemical attractants designed and developed by the characteristics of colour, phototaxis and chemotaxis, chemical control based on new green pesticides, biological control supported by predatory and parasitic natural enemies, can fully guide the integrated prevention and control of Z. tau . Depending on the size of the planting management area, both broad-area joint prevention and control as well as localized comprehensive management can be flexibly selected. While ensuring economic benefits, it also takes into account the cost input, and is committed to achieving an economically efficient and long-term green control of Z. tau .