Description:
The adult is a fly, almost 5mm, with 3 characteristic blackish longitudinal lines on mesonotum, the wings are hyaline, iridescent, with a black spot at the apex. Females possess a distinct ovipositor. They appear on spring where they lay their eggs inside the olive fruit. The larvae is white-yellowish, 7-8mm, elongated, and it lacks head capsule and after it hatches, it makes a tunnel within the pulp. Bactrocera oleae is the most important pest of olive.
Symptoms:
Fruits: Fruit punctures (triangular shape), removal of a significant proportion of the pulp, premature falling of the attacked fruit, secondarily fungal infection
Hosts: Olive tree
Taxonomy:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Diptera |
| Family | Tephritidae |
| Genus | Bactrocera |
| Species | oleae |
References:
Alford D. V. (2014). Pests of Fruit Crops. A Colour Handbook, CRC Press, 2nd Edition