Abstract  The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), is one of the most destructive global pests of fruits and vegetables. It is a highly polyphagous pest with large host range, long-life span, and high adult fecundity that is capable of causing severe damage to more than 250 commercially valuable tropical and subtropical crops. Because the larval stage lives within host plant tissues, pest control strategies focus mainly on adults. The natural phenylpropanoid, methyl eugenol (ME), is a powerful attractant for adult male B. dorsalis, and has been widely used in male annihilation technique (MAT) systems to detect, lure, and eradicate B. dorsalis populations worldwide. This paper summarizes research on the application of ME for the prevention and control of B. dorsalis. Current problems in the application of this compound are discussed and new insights and references for the integrated pest management of B. dorsalis are provided.