Abstract

Monitoring of insects is important to analyze the species present in culture of economic interest, to verify the period of highest incidence and quantify the damages caused by the pest insects. Here, we aim to assess the diversity of bark beetles in an olive orchard. The experiment was assessed in fortnightly series throughout a year and conducted with a completely randomized experimental design, consisting of three treatments: T1: homogeneous olive culture; T2: heterogeneous olive culture; T3: border area. An ethanol trap was used for the sampling of bark beetles. The species Hypothenemus eruditus, Xyleborus linearicolis and Hypothenemus seriatus showed greater abundance among the treatments. The decrease of abundance, diversity and dominance of bark beetles occurred in the heterogeneous culture (T2). Homogeneous cultures (T1) are more susceptible to the attack of pest-insects due to the lower ecological balance among associate, predator or parasitoid insects. Border areas (T3) showed an increased diversity of arboreal species, favoring the higher incidence of insects. In spring, there is a greater incidence of bark beetles, what reinforces the need for monitoring during this period. So far, there are no evidences of bark beetles infesting olive trees in the area, or the presence of Phloeotribus scarabaeoides, which is the pest bark beetle of olive cultures.

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