Ceratitis capitata: Better knowledge for better risk management (FRUITFLYRISKMANAGE)

Fruit flies (Tephritidae) are among the most important pests worldwide and among them C. capitata is one of the species that has increased the most its geographical expansion. Cooperation between different countries and entities is a necessity in order to better understand the drivers of its dispersal and occurrence as well as to develop appropriate management strategies to tackle this important pest.

Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), also known as Mediterranean fruit fly, is one of the world's most destructive plant pests. It is a highly multivoltine polyphagous species able to feed on over 300 hosts, and it is known to be able to adapt to a wide range of climates. Originating from Africa, the pest has spread in Europe, the Middle East, Oceania and South America. In the EPPO region, it is mainly present in the southern part, where it is particularly damaging for Citrus and Prunus spp.; records in Northern or Central Europe refer to interceptions or short-lived adventive populations only.  

Therefore, effective surveillance programmes and control measures are of outmost importance to protect countries and their agriculture, landscape and environment. For this purpose, comprehensive information on C. capitata occurrence, both in spatial and temporal terms, is crucial for understanding the current and historical extent of its occurrence, make its dispersion assessment and identify areas susceptible to invasion and establishment. The project partners collaborated to share information on the distribution and abundance of C. capitata in the participating countries and shared their experience on the methods and tools to monitor and manage the pest. The partners developed models on the potential future occurrence of C. capitata in the participating countries, based on climatic conditions.