Development of an automatic monitoring trap for Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) to optimize control applications frequency

•An automatic sensor-based trap for sequential Medfly monitoring was developed, denoted Medfly-AT.•Medfly-AT and Steiner trap were found to have similar trapping efficiencies under field condition.•Emphasis was placed on traps’ performance measures (accuracy and efficiency) in field conditions.•The Medfly-AT had high accuracy rates (88–100%) and low absolute over-counting (3 counts).•Using Medfly-ATs data saved three out of eight spraying actions without negative effect on the yield.