Abstract: Effective management of the Chinese citrus fruit fly, Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax (Enderlein) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is hindered by a lack of knowledge about its movements. By measuring the wing loading and extra loading capacity of adults of the Chinese citrus fruit fly, we determined the effect of weight of extra loading electronic tags on the ratio of upward to downward flights of flies, in order to provide technical parameters for making the feasibility of electronic tag for tracking natural movement of B. minax using harmonic radar technology. The wing loading of the Chinese citrus fruit fly was found not to decrease with increasing size over a wide range of individual sizes and independent of sex. The results indicate that an average wing loading of adults of Chinese citrus fruit fly is about 11 mg after normal food uptake alternated with food deprivation (only water is supplied). It is estimated from our results in a large screened cage that 7.3 mg (representing about 23% of adult’s weight) extra loading for the technique has no or minimal impact on the number of upward flights of adults of Chinese citrus fruit fly. The results further suggest that when we determine the feasibility of tags for the tracking of natural movement of B. minax using harmonic radar technology, the weight of electronic tags should be no more than 7.3 mg.

Key words: Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax； insect harmonic radar； tag； wing loading； extra loading, flight performance