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Apple Maggot Poster About the Apple Maggot... Apple maggot
problems begin in early July through August, as apple maggot flies
hatch from the soil and take flight into the apple trees. The fly,
slightly smaller than a housefly, has black zigzag bands on its clear
wings. Female flies make an insignificant puncture in the skin of
the apple, and deposit an egg. These eggs later hatch, and the larvae
(maggots) begin feeding through the flesh of the fruit. A trail or
tunnel evolves as the maggot travels through the fruit. When the maggot
is mature, it leaves the fruit and burrows into the soil to continue
its life cycle. Sanitary Measures Maintaining
a clean orchard environment is a necessity to obtain and maintain
effective control of the apple maggot. This involves: 2 - Collection and disposal of all drop apples on a regular basis. These should be buried, such as in landfill, or fed to livestock. Composting of these apples is not an option as this will not prevent the apple maggot from developing. Chemical Measures Certain insecticides are very effective against apple maggot flies. Select a "Domestic" product with the active ingredient dimethoate, phosmet or phosalone. One to three applications, depending on infestation pressure, may be applied. Normal timing for application is as follows: First Spray
- approximately July 15 to 20 Trapping Out Apple maggot
traps are available from farm or garden supply outlets. These are
usually yellow cards or red balls, covered with a sticky coating,
and containing a smell recognized by the flies. The apple maggot flies
are attracted to the trap, and become stuck to the sticky surface.
For this control measure to be effective, each tree should hold one
trap, and possibly two if it is a large old tree. Position the traps
in a sunny location on the south side of a tree. Check regularly and
remove the flies. |