Attraction of fruit flies to commercial versus homemade bait: Potential application for fly control

Filth flies, including fruit flies, are a persistent problem on US Navy vessels, and pose threats to the health and morale of service members. Several species of Drosophila are attracted to fermenting odors from yeast, and high contrast colors. The attraction of Drosophila hydei (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to 960 Vector® was compared with that of a homemade trap containing soy sauce using a Y-tube olfactometer. The fly trap, 960 Vector® is a Department of Defense (DoD)-approved commercial bait for fruit flies. Fruit flies did not show clear attraction to either of the two baits when compared individually to control (empty jar). However, two-choice tests comparing attraction to both baits simultaneously showed that fruit flies had a clear preference for soy sauce over 960 Vector®. The potential application of soy sauce as a cheap efficient fruit fly trap is discussed.