Peer review

Abstract in English and Spanish

When fully grown, larvae of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), egress the host fruit to seek pupariation sites in the soil, at which time the larvae are exposed to predation and desiccation. Ants, rove beetles and spiders were found to prey on these larvae. However, only 1-5% of the larvae were killed by predators on the ground before they could enter the soil. This unexpectedly low predation rate occurred in spite of a methodical search for acceptable entry points into the soil by the larvae which sometimes required more than an hour on the ground surface. Honey ants occurred year round at the study sites and were incidental predators of the larvae. Only rove beetles were seen to be deliberate hunters of the larvae, but were present only during summer months. In south Texas, fire ants were effective predators of pupae and emerging adults, except in the winter months, and may reduce Mexican fruit fly populations.

Text in English