Activity Monitoring of Olive Fruit Fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) Males, and Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity, at Al Quneitra Governorate, Southern Syria

This study was carried out in Al Quneitra governorate, Syria during 2017 and 2018 seasons with the aim of monitoring the activity of olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) males, in three locations of similar altitude (945-989 m above sea level), in addition to evaluating the effect of temperature and relative humidity on males activity using pheromone traps. The results obtained showed that olive fruit fly male adults activity began in the last week of May 2017 season and in the 3rd week of May 2018 season. Male adult's population reached a peak in the 4 th week of September, with an average of 126.43±33.70 males/trap in 2017 season, whereas their peak in 2018 season wasreached in mid-September with an average of 205.2±15.51 males/trap. Number of activity periods for males differed according to the season of study, and number of activity periods was 3 in 2017 and 4 in 2018. The duration of the activity period ranged from 4 to 11 weeks. The results obtained also showed a weak correlation effect of temperature and relative humidity on males activity during the two seasons, and its value was +0.16, +0.048, respectively. The monthly abundance of males differed during one season. Statistical analysis showed that the highest monthly abundance in 2017 season was in October, with an average of 192.07±14.94 males/trap with a significant difference in relation to the rest of the months, whereas in 2018 season it reached the highest monthly abundance in September, with an average of 420.33±15.18 males/trap, which significantly outperformed the rest of the months. Seasonal abundance of 2018 was significantly higher than in 2017. Keywords: Olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, males’ activity, pheromone traps, temperature, relative humidity, Al Quneitra