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Fruit Tree Care Monitoring Lures are just the beginning of a pest management program for apple and fruit pests. As with any pest problem, you must assess how important your fruit production is to you, then weigh the
costs, both of your time and money. We offer different ways to treat
common fruit tree pests throughout the year. These include: Dormant
oil sprays Clay sprays Release of benefical insects Sticky tree
bands. In order to treat these pests most effectively
our clients help by monitoring traps and lures so we can time spraying and treatments. Depending on the time of year we ask
our clients to either scrape tree bark prior to us spraying dormant oil sprays, or collect and destroy larvae from tree bands
as they move. We now offer Kaolin Clay
sprays. The process begins with the 1st forming of fruit and continues until harvest time. This requires several
visits. The clay forms a physical barrier between fruit & disease or pest. You simply wash off the clay. You
must be willing to have a “frosty” look to your tree and fruit.
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SOME COMMON
FRUIT TREE PESTS Apple Maggot Rhagoletis pomonella The adult is a
black ¼” fruit fly with transparent wings with zebra stripes. Larva is a white maggot. To control,
pick up and destroy fallen fruit until September; after that twice a month; from mid-June until harvest hang apple maggot
lures in trees (1 per dwarf tree, 6 per full-size tree); encourage predators of the pupae (ground beetles and rove beetles)
by planting white clover ground cover in orchards. Apple Maggot Damage
The adults start emerging mid-June to July, lay eggs in punctures in the fruit skin. Eggs hatch within a week, larva
tunnel in fruit until fruit drops. Mature larvae leave fruit and pupate in soil to over winter. Some pupae remain
dormant for several seasons. The sticky trap & scented lure is used Mid-June until harvest. To maintain, scrape
off insects and reapply sticky coating. Scented lures last up to 3 months. Codling
Moth Cydia (Laspeyresia) pomonella The larva is pink or creamy white. Eggs flattened white eggs laid on leaves, twigs
and fruit. To control, sow a cover crop to encourage native predators and parasites, especially ground beetles. Scrape
away loose bark and over wintering cocoons preceding a dormant oil spray. Collect and destroy larvae from corrugated
cardboard tree bands. Use pheromone lures to determine the arrival of the main flights. Apply sprayed controls and
release beneficials to target the egg laying period. Codling Moth Damage
Over wintering larvae pupates in spring; adults emerge about the time apple trees bloom. Females lay eggs on fruit; larvae
burrow into fruit core, usually from blossom end. After 3-5 weeks, larvae leave fruit to pupate under bark or in ground
litter. There are two to three generations per year. The pheromone lure is hung throughout the growing season from
bud break thru harvest. The lure needs to be replaced every 4 weeks (2 traps per season).
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