Field and tree distribution of Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1767) (Col., Buprestidae) adults in an apricot orchard in Italy

A study was conducted into the spatio-temporal distribution of adult Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1767) in an apricot orchard in Sicily (Italy) using inverse distance squared weighting (IDW), a spatial interpolation technique to create a distribution map of adults in the orchard. The study was conducted throughout the period of presence of the adult in the field and it investigated distribution on individual plants with regard to the observed height on the crown and exposure to the sun's rays. The variation is gradual in the distribution of the buprestid in the field and the areas with the greatest exposition to the sun (south-east) were marked by the highest densities. The presence of the pest was also found to be higher in those parts of the crown most exposed to the sun; moreover, the position in relation to the ground varied constantly and was increasingly linked to time and temperature. The data obtained confirmed the distinct thermal demands of the species and provided useful information on both sampling and control.