Fruit flies are considered one of the most damaging insects on fruit crops (Example: Mango, guava & Grapes). Their lifestyle makes it very difficult to control them in any stage of their life, just by using insecticides and pesticides. Though the fly is present in our field, all the year round, it spends very less time actually on the fruit trees or fruit itself. After mating, which lasts for about an hour, females lay up to 200 eggs in a span of one month and these eggs are layed by injecting 1 to 4 mm deep in the fruits.

The eggs hatch within 2 to 3 days and the maggots start feeding on the fruit pulp and this goes on for a period of 6 to 29 days and meanwhile the fruits are damaged from inside in a very drastic manner. Damage caused by fruit flies ranges from 15 % to even as more as 60% depending on the infestation. Damage is also caused by fungal infection spreading in the fruits, through the hole made by the flies in the skin of the fruits, which creates dark brown patches on the fruits and the fruits ultimately fall off the plants. Since the maggots are actually inside the fruits, no contact insecticide works on them and the required dosage of systemic insecticides are much more and thus leave a great amount of residues in the fruits to make the fruits hazardous for any use. The Rakshak trap works on the fruit flies by attracting them before they mate and thus the fruits are saved from any damage in the initial stage itself. Taking into account such a successful control on the fruit flies by the Rakshak trap, both economically and productively, the trap is put into recommendations by APEDA, by the name Rakshak itself, for any fruits produced for export. Also approved by Dr. Balasaheb Savant Konkan Agriculture University, Dapoli (Maharashtra)

Instructions

» The recommended time for use of the trap is immediately after flowering, till the fruits are harvested.
» Normally the required quantity of traps is 3 per acre, depending on the rate of infestation.
» Traps are very easy to assemble and install and the cleaning of trap can be done once in a week, depending on the rate of capture of flies.
» Checking & Cleaning of traps is necessary once in a week or as required.
» Respective attractants used in the trap should be changed as per suggested on the attractant packing.
» Half Litre of soap water is to be used in the trap bottle as the killing material for killing the captured flies.
» It should be taken into account that the minimum spacing between two traps should not be less than 300 feet and the traps should be hanged on any bamboo or tree at minimum 3 to 4 feet height.