Effects of Environmental Temperature on Capnodis tenebrionis Adult Phenology

The phenology of Capnodis tenebrionis adults was presented with reference to two different climate conditions. In a temperatemoderate-warm climate, adult density showed two separate peaks during the year: one in early summer of the overwinteringgeneration and one with beetles emerging in the late summer. In a warmer semiarid climate, the overwintering adults and thenew generation overlapped during summer with a continuous increase of adult density. The difference in the average annualtemperature between areas during the study period was almost 3◦C, and, in the warmer area, the new generation of C. tenebrionisemerged at least one month earlier. To make a prediction of adult presence, a model utilizing degree-days was developed from datacollected over a five-year period.Models obtained from equations (Logistic 4-parameter, y(x) = yo + a/(1 + (x/xo)b)) of each yearwere developed to describe the relationship between degree-day accumulation (with a minimal threshold activity temperature of14.21◦C calculated in the laboratory) and the cumulative percentage of adult presence. According to the overall model, the 50%of overwintering beetles occurred at 726 degree-days (Biofix: 1st March) and the emerging beetles occurred at 801 degree-days(Biofix: 1st July). The results show that a change in temperature is an important aspect that highlights the adaptability of thisspecies