Evaluation of attractant devices for the monitoring of Olive Fruit Fly with particular reference to colour, size and selectivity toward natural enemies

Abstract: The research focuses on the comparison of some commercial or modified traps, baited with ammonium carbonate for the monitoring of B. oleae. Traps have been also evaluated for catch selectivity toward predators and parasitoids. The experimental sites were located in an inner hilly area of the Campania region, Italy. In the field tests, carried out using a Latin square experimental design, the following traps were compared: bottle trap, yellow panel, Jackson trap, this latter modified using different colors of support/sticky surface and sizes. Preliminary results showed that the catches in the tested traps depend on the extension of sticky surface and yellow color and strongly increased in presence of an attractant (ammonium carbonate). When different traps were compared, the yellow panel captured significantly more individuals, but applying the correction to make traps equivalent in relation to the size of the sticky surface, no differences for total and female catches were observed between yellow panel and standard Jackson with sticky yellow panel inside. Referring to the capture of natural enemies, the size of the trap and the presence of an attractant increased the trapped parasitoids and predators. Yellow color extent directly influences the catches for parasitoids, whereas for predators only a combined effect with size was significant. Based on our preliminary results, the Jackson trap with sticky yellow panel inside is the best choice for monitoring purposes.