Definition

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olive fly

mosca

mouche de l´olive

橄榄树苍蝇 /gǎnlǎn shù cāngyíng/

Agriculture | n. phr.

Insect considered a type of olive plague which in its adult state is a small fly that stings sound olives in order to lay eggs in their inside. The resulting grubs nourish from the olives´ pulp by digging pits. This results in microorganism spreading, fruit weight loss and decay and premature falling.

Example

Two weeks before harvest, revisit the orchard. Check for two things: evidence of olive fly and fruit hydration. If you have any fly infestation, assess the volume and alert your miller. A small percentage is generally acceptable, but don"t assume it without checking.

See Sources

Alternative forms

bactrocera

Additional information

olive oils from olives affected by the olive fly have a high acidity index and an unpleasant taste. If the olive groves are affected by this plague, it is recommendable to speed up the harvesting and malaxation stages in order to avoid the fungi from the fruit´s inside pits dug by the insect. There are controlling methods based on tramps and conuting which help preventing the plague.