LAUSR

Simple Summary As significant invasive pests, the melon fruit fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae) and the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) cause significant economic losses in agricultural and forestry production. Their high reproductive capacity and adaptability further complicate control efforts. This paper investigates the oviposition competition between laboratory populations of these two fruit flies on five commonly infested hosts: pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), winter melon (Benincasa hispida), bitter melon (Momordica charantia) and guava (Psidium guajava). The oviposition competition between B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae on different hosts shows significant differences. B. dorsalis exhibits a competitive advantage on hosts such as pumpkin and winter melon, while Z. cucurbitae performs better on cucumber. In mixed groups, the oviposition capabilities of the two species influence each other. This research lays a foundation for understanding the population dynamics and developmental succession of these two fruit fly species while also contributing to the development of effective prevention and control strategies.