Diversity and geographic distribution of the indigenous and exotic parasitoids of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae), in Southern France

Abstract

International audienceThe olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Dipt., Tephritidae), is the most important pest of olive crops in the world. Economic losses associated to the limited efficiency of pesticides and natural regulation require the development of new alternatives. A classical biological control program was thus implemented in 2007 in France with two main objectives : (1) test the efficiency of a new exotic parasitoid, Psyttalia lounsburyi (Hym., Braconidae) on the olive fruit fly populations and (2) understand how intraspecific hybridization could affect the demographic success of exotic biocontrol agents and, more generally, invasive species. In 2008, more than 43,000 P. lounsburyi were consequently introduced in 60 sites located in Southern France, covering the whole geographic distribution of olive crops in this country. The pluri-annual surveys realised between 2007 and 2010 gave the opportunity to better document the dynamics of olive fruit fly populations as well as the associated communities of parasitoids. Main results on these two topics are outlined here in a view to stimulate collaborative research and more precisely document the community ecology of B. oleae and its natural enemies in the Mediterranean area and elsewhere