Wide Range of Brachyceran Fly Taxa Attracted to Synthetic and Semi-Synthetic Generic Noctuid Lures and the Description of New Attractants for Sciomyzidae and Heleomyzidae Families

Simple Summary: Plant volatile traps designed for Lepidoptera pests caught a large number of flies as non-target insects that provided an opportunity to study their odour preferences. The tested isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic bisexual lure containing red wine as an organic component attracted flies of 10 families, including economically important ones such as Drosophilidae and Ulididae, and it is the first reported attractant of the Sciomyzidae family. Although our phenylacetaldehyde-based synthetic lure attracted less families with lower abundance, it was efficient against the Empididae and Milichiidae families. In the case of Heleomyzidae flies, both lures were efficient, and these are the first published attractants of this family. These new data on the chemical ecology of flies serve as a basis for further studies and may be utilized in the development of sampling methods used in biological and integrated pest management, and faunistic and ecological studies. During field tests implemented in Transcarpathia (West Ukraine) in 2015, 6501 specimens belonging to 26 Brachyceran fly families were collected with traps baited with generic lures (originally developed for noctuid moths) based on fermenting liquid and floral compounds. Isoamyl alcohol-based baits generally attracted more flies than phenylacetaldehyde-based baits and unbaited controls; however, the phenylacetaldehyde-based traps were the most attractive to the Empididae and Milichiidae families. The isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic lure showed significant attractivity to the families of Muscidae, Ulidiidae, Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae, Sciomyzidae, Heleomyzidae, Drosophilidae, Phoridae and Platystomatidae. Additionally, isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic lure is the first reported attractant of the Sciomyzidae family. Since our phenylacetaldehyde-based floral lure was also attractive to Heleomyzidae flies, both types of lures can be seen as the first known attractants of this family.

Automated summary

This study found that an isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic lure containing red wine as an organic component attracted various fly species, including economically important ones like Drosophilidae and Ulididae, and it is the first reported attractant of the Sciomyzidae family. The phenylacetaldehyde-based synthetic lure attracted fewer families but was efficient against the Empididae and Milichiidae families. These findings provide insights into the chemical ecology of flies and can be used in pest management and ecological studies.