Olive fruit fly is the most harmful pest of olive fruits and important for
oil production. Damage involves yield reduction as a consequence of premature
fruit drop, but also a reduced quality of olive oil and olive products. There
is little available data regarding the biology of Bactrocera oleae in
Montenegro. Knowledge of the pest life cycle and development would improve
optimization of insecticide application timing and protection of fruits, and
reduce adverse effects on the environment. Investigation was conducted on the
Zutica variety in an olive grove located in Bar during a three-year period.
Population dynamics of the pre-imaginal stages and level of fruit infestation
were monitored from mid-July until the end of October. The results of this
three-year investigation showed that the beginning of infestation was always
at the end of July. It was also found that, depending on environmental
conditions, the level of infestation was low until the end of August. In
September and October it multiplied, and reached maximum by the end of
October. Regarding infestation structure, eggs and first instar larvae were
the dominant developmental stages of the pest until the middle of September.
From mid-September until mid-October all developmental stages (eggs, larvae,
pupae) were equally present in infested fruits. Pupae, cocoons and abandoned
galleries prevailed until the harvest.
Population dynamics of pre-imaginal stages of olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae Gmel. (Diptera, Tephritidae) in the region of Bar (Montenegro)
