Influence of surroundings natural habitats in the olive pest Prays oleae

Recent research highlights the predator Anthocoris nemoralis as an effective biocontrol agent against an important olive pest, Prays oleae. This work tries to corroborate that an increase of natural habitats proportion surrounding the crop, together with a high abundance of the secondary pest Euphyllura olivine, could increase the population of A. nemoralis, and as a consequence, if a higher abundance of this predator would improve the biological control of P oleae. For this purpose, the community of arthropods present in nine farms with different landscape composition was sampled during four key phenological stages of olive tree. Statistical models were used to evaluate the relationship between pairs of species and the proportion of natural habitats at different distances. During flowering season, a positive effect between proportion of adjacent natural habitats and the abundance of A. nemoralis and E. olivine on the olive tree crown was observed, as well as a positive relationship between the abundance of both species. During fruit development, higher abundances of A. nemoralis were associated with lower abundances of P. oleae. Assessed hypothesis are reinforced, surface of natural habitats surroundings olive groves and presence of the secondary pest E. olivine have a positive effect on the abundance of the polyphagous predator A. nemoralis, and this can contribute to the control of the pest P. oleae.