Olive fruit fly
The oil attacked by the olive fly has the typical flaws caused by the worm, which affect both its quality and salubrity.
The olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae Gmelin) is the main insect parasite of the olive throughout Italy and especially in coastal zones.
The risk of infestation is higher when temperatures tend to be lower than average in summer and higher than average in winter. Conversely, cold winters reduce the survival rates of overwintering forms (adult and chrysalis), just as high summer temperatures compromise the survival of juvenile forms (eggs and new larvae).
Pest management of the olive fruit fly varies with the type of cultivation:
Organic: preventive treatments, including sexually or nutritionally attractive bait (organic toxins or pesticides), eliminate adult flies before they can lay eggs.
Conventional: curative measures, involving insecticides that penetrate and circulate within the fruit, are capable of combating all forms of the fly that harm olives, from the egg to larvae of all ages.
