Male and female T. infestans were released on two consecutive nights in the salinas of Cordoba Province, Argentina, when air temperatures during the flying period averaged 28.5 degrees C. 136 males (43% of the total released) and 170 females (57%) flew on the first night, and 6 males (18%) and 7 females (27%) on the second. Of these, we recovered 23 males and 14 females within 100 m, and a further female within 200 m, all from the first night's release. The remainder appear to have flown more than 100 m and possibly more than 200 m. In support of this conclusion 4 male and 5 female bugs were recovered in an abandoned brick house 550 m from the release point. Since the proportion of bugs apparently flying more than 200 m is considerably greater than that deduced from previous experiments at lower temperatures (Lehane & Schofield, 1981) it is possible that temperature influences not only the proportion of bugs flying but also the distance flown. Flight appears to be affected by wind speed. On the first night, when there was negligible wind, 43% of male and 57% of female bugs flew. On the second night, with winds gusting at 4-5 m/s, only 18% of the male and 27% of the female bugs flew.
Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) is an important egg predator of the olive moth, Prays oleae (Bernard). Its eggs are laid on pedicels, which are likely to provide some protection against predators and parasitoids. Ants figure prominently in the insect fauna of olive orchards. Six of the most common species in Granada were tested both in the laboratory and the field to establish their effect on chrysopid egg numbers. Crematogaster scutellaris 01. and Tapinoma nigerrimum Nyl. were the most effective predators of chrysopid eggs with probably the latter being the most damaging due to both its large nest size and its activity. Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latr.), Camponotus micans Nyl. and Camponotus foreli Em. proved to be the least efficient predators. Formica subrufa Roger was intermediate in terms of its ability to eat lacewing eggs but a small sample prevents any firm conclusions from being drawn.
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