Survey on Drosophila suzukii Natural Short-Term Dispersal Capacities Using the Mark−Release−Recapture Technique

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), has become a key pest for soft fruits and cherries in Europe in less than a decade since the first outbreak in 2007. Although this pest’s passive dispersal ability has been observed over more than 1400 km in 1 year, active spread has not yet been extensively studied. A mark−release−recapture (MRR) method based on protein-marked flies was employed to determine the flight capacity of D. suzukii. Sterile marked flies were released and recaptured in a trap grid at increasing distances from 10 to 250 m from the releasing point to study flight distance during periods ranging from 3 h to 1 week. MRR experiments were replicated in the presence and absence of host fruits to study how they could affect dispersal behavior. The dispersal capacity of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) was also studied under the same conditions. The results showed a low dispersal ability for D. suzukii, with a daily flight distance below 100 m with no predominant wind. The implications on natural dispersion and control methods based on attractants are discussed.