Flight activity of the hairy rose beetle,Tropinota squalida (Scopoli) in apple and cherry orchards in southern Jordan

The hairy rose beetle,tropinota squalida (scopoli),is one of the important insect pests that attack pome and stone fruits in the southern part of jordan. this destructive pest attacks the flowers of the crop where it feeds on the reproductive parts of the flowers. the present study was initiated to monitor the phenology and flight activity of the hairy rose beetle in an attempt to provide basic information for the development of safe and effective control measures for this economically important insect pest. the present study was conducted during 2009-2010 on two apple cultivars,grany smith and royal gala,and on stella cherry. capture of the beetles was performed via locally constructed traps that were improved by incorporation of the floral chemical attractants. adults of the beetle were captured in apple orchards earlier than cherry orchards and disappeared earlier in the cherry orchard than that in the apple orchards. the flight activity of beetle started in the last week of january to the end of may in the apple orchards,but it was during mid-february to mid of may in cherry orchard. positive relationships were obtained between the beetle flight activity the flowering pattern of the studied fruit crops. © 2017 jordan journal of biological sciences.