DIY OLIVE FLY TRAPS

Preparation and use of traps for mass trapping of Olive Tree Fly.

La olive fly (or Bactrocera oleae) is one of the most dangerous species for olive trees, in fact it affects both the plant and the quality of production. The olive fly is mainly present in wetter areas.

Building an olive fly trap

The trap we will look at is a simple device that attracts and captures olive fly adults. To construct an olive fly trap we need:

1. 1.5-2L PET bottle with cap
2. 750cc of water
3. 2 tablespoons of brewer’s yeast
4. 1 teaspoon of ammonium sulfate

First you need to take the bottle with cap and drill 4 holes with diameter less than 0.5 cm almost at the neck of the bottle, insert 750 cc of water, 2 tablespoons of brewer’s yeast and 1 teaspoon of ammonium sulfate.

How to arrange oil fly traps in the field

Oil fly traps should be placed in the olive grove by hanging them inside the canopy (so that they do not receive direct sun) following the following pattern: one bottle for every three trees along the entire periphery of the plot so as to attract outward the flies that are inside and block those that come from neighboring fields. It is advisable to increase the density or put a second row on the edge of the olive grove bordering other olive groves, especially if abandoned.

For each hectare we need 75 traps.

For DIY traps, there is also a need for maintenance, namely: weekly checks, water supplementation, if there are dead flies their decomposition contributes to the production of odorous substances that attract more flies. There is never a need to clean the trap, but instead homogenize its contents.

We would like to mention that this type of fly can create many problems regarding the quality of the production of thenew oil. Therefore, we recommend that you pay close attention to this specific issue and build all the necessary traps to avoid problems with your olive trees or oil.

Posted by:

Alfio Lo Conte

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Tecnico ed esperto degli oli extravergini di oliva, iscritto nell’Elenco Nazionale sezione Campania. Maestro di frantoio con diploma, conseguito presso International Extravirgin Agency.

Read more articles by: Alfio Lo Conte