Rhodocyrtus cribripennis (Desbrochers)
(Also known as Rhynchites cribripennis Desbrochers and Coenorrhinus cribripennis (Desbrochers)).
Systematic position: Insecta, Holometabola, Coleoptera, Attelabidae.
Common name: Olive fruit curculio.
Geographical distribution: Southern and Eastern Europe, Middle East.
Morphology: Body of adult 5-6 mm long, red-brown, dorsum with short, fine pubescence, thorax finely punctuated, elytra with longitudinal grooves. Antennae straight, distal segments large. Larva 6-7 mm long, white-yellow, apodous, with a dark head.
Host plants: Olive and other Oleaceae, especially Olea oleaster Hoffmanns and Link.
Life history: This species requires 2 years to complete its development. The overwintered adults emerge from the soil in spring and fly to olive trees, on whose leaves and shoots they initially feed, later moving to the fruits. During summer the female bores a hole in a fruit and places an egg there. The young larva feeds on the seed, devouring it completely. In autumn the grown larva drops to the upper soil layers, wherein it remains in diapause till the following summer. It pupates in early autumn and the adult emerges in spring.
Economic importance: Economic damage, especially in the early stages of fruit formation, is caused by fruit puncturing for oviposition and by larval feeding. Dozens of punctures/olive may be found, and up to 40% of the fruits may be affected, leading to much early drop. Small-fruit cultivars are more seriously affected.
Management:
Monitoring: Shaking twigs above a container during morning, in the spring when the fruits form. The number of obtained beetles provide an appropriate indication of the potential injury. The suggested economic injury level is reached when 2-4 beetles/360 olive fruits are obtained. The pest may also be monitored with sticky color traps.
References
Kacar, G. and Ulusoy, M.R. 2010. Distribution and damage of Coenorrhinus (Rhynchites) cribripennis (Desbrochers) (Coleoptera: Attelabidae) in olive orchards of eastern Mediterranean region. Bitki Koruma Buleti 50: 13-23 (in Turkish with an English abstract).
Lykouressis, D., Kapsaskis, A., Perdikis, D. Vatosantinou, A. and Fantinou, A. 2004. Rates of population increase, abundance, and life stage distribution of Rhynchites cribripennis (Coleoptera: Attelabidae) on trees and in the soil in an olive grove. Journal of Economic Entomology 97: 316-320.
Perdikis, D., N. Garantonakis, N., Giatropoulos, A., Paraskevopoulos, A., Lykouressis, D. and Kitsis, P. 2009. Damage evaluation of Rhynchites cribripennis (Col., Attelabidae) in olive fruits Journal of Applied Entomology 133: 512– 517.
Perdikis, D., Garantonakis, N., Paraskeuopoulos, A., Giatropoulos, A. and Lykouressis, D. 2010. Evaluation of different colour sticky traps in captures of Rhynchites cribripennisI. OIBC/WPRS Bulletin 53: 95-96.
Perdikis, D., Garantonakis, N., Kitsis, P., Paraskevopoulos, A. and Lykouressis, D., 2013. On the relationship between the infestation level of Rhynchites cribripennis and respective yield-losses on olives (Coleoptera: Attelabidae). Entomologia Generalis 34(3): 215-223.
Tzanakakis, M.E. 2008. Olive Fruit Curculio, Rhynchites cribripennis Desbrochers (Coleoptera: Attelabidae). Encyclopedia of Entomology, pp 2665-2666.
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