Data from: Experiments on Jackson trap efficiency capturing Bactrocera dorsalis and Zeugodacus cucurbitae

Jackson traps baited with male lures with or without insecticides are essential components of surveillance and monitoring programs against pest tephritid fruit flies. The ability of a trap to capture a fly that enters, sometimes termed “trap efficiency”, is dependent on many factors including the trap/lure/toxicant combination. We tested the effects of three important components of Jackson traps on efficiency of capture of two important fruit fly species, using the “standard” (i.e., as they are used in the state-wide surveillance program in California) and alternatives: Insecticide (Naled, DDVP or None), type of adhesive on the sticky panel (Seabright Laboratories Stickem Special Regular or Stickem Special HiTack), and use of a single or combination male lure (Methyl eugenol and/or cuelure). Experiments were conducted in large outdoor carousel olfactometers with known numbers of Bactrocera dorsalis and Zeugodacus cucurbitae and by trapping wild populations of the same two species. Lures were aged out to eight weeks to develop a comprehensive dataset on trap efficiency of the various combinations.