Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025
Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling
Published on: December 18, 2011
Movement of Rhagoletis mendax (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Fruit-Bearing Wild Blueberry Fields. Part II
Francis A Drummond1,2, Judith A Collins1, Sara L Bushmann3
1School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Deering, Orono, ME.
Abstract:
During dispersal into fruit-bearing wild blueberry fields, blueberry maggot flies were highly active during all daylight hours as revealed by trap captures, although in one trial afternoon activity was greater than morning activity. Flies were not captured in traps at night, although observations in growth chambers showed that their activity at night, measured as displacement of position, was equal to daylight conditions. Flies were shown to fly at low altitude, just above the crop canopy, and screen fencing was shown to be effective at reducing colonization of plots, presumably due to their low height during flight. Over a 4-yr mark-capture study, colonization rate was shown to be low at 9.7 m/d, although a separate 2010 study showed higher rates at 14.1 and 28.0 m/d. Movement was shown to be nondirectional or random in the field, but a constrained random walk exhibiting direction into the field. Weed cover and high fruit density were associated with higher fly relative abundance, suggesting these field characteristics served as attractors slowing colonization rate into a field. Transect trap studies showed the temporal and spatial pattern of fly colonization into commercial wild blueberry fields, one of a slow wave that penetrates into the field interior as the season progresses. There is also an increase in fly abundance within-field edges and adjacent forest. The 'stacking' of flies along a field edge and slow movement rate into a field was shown through simulation to be a result of nondirectional short-distance dispersal of flies.
Insights
Blueberry maggot flies are active day and night, flying low over crops. Their dispersal into fields is slow, influenced by field conditions, and can be managed with physical barriers.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Pest Management
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Blueberry maggot fly (BBM) is a significant pest of wild blueberries.
- Understanding BBM dispersal is crucial for effective pest management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dispersal patterns and behavior of blueberry maggot flies in wild blueberry fields.
- To identify factors influencing fly colonization and movement within fields.
Main Methods:
- Mark-capture studies over four years.
- Transect trap studies to analyze temporal and spatial patterns.
- Growth chamber observations to assess nocturnal activity.
- Simulation modeling to understand dispersal dynamics.
Main Results:
- Flies exhibit high activity during daylight and surprisingly equal activity at night, though not captured in field traps at night.
- Low-altitude flight (above crop canopy) and effective barrier control using screen fencing were observed.
- Colonization rates varied, with some studies indicating low rates (9.7 m/d) and others higher (14.1–28.0 m/d).
- Field characteristics like weed cover and high fruit density attracted flies, slowing colonization.
- Dispersal patterns showed a slow, wave-like penetration into fields, with increased abundance at edges and adjacent forests.
Conclusions:
- Blueberry maggot fly dispersal is characterized by low-altitude, short-distance, nondirectional movement, often resulting in edge-heavy distributions.
- Field attractants and environmental conditions significantly influence fly behavior and colonization rates.
- Management strategies should consider fly activity patterns, including nocturnal behavior, and utilize barriers to mitigate low-altitude flight.
