Explain it to me...plum curculio in apples

[CRhode]

@ampersand

I imagine plum curculio evolved on native plums, but are opportunistic and will go for anything they can.

If evolution teaches us anything, it’s that practice makes perfect.

[scottfsmith]

@Lodidian

If curculio worms in apples and pears get crushed by the growing fruit, why would they have evolved in this seemingly suicidal way?

Yes for evolution it is clear they were not designed for apples and it’s not a big win for them. But they still do procreate in apples, I have found full worms in apples on the ground. If the apple drops at the right time there will still be enough to eat to get the worm to maturity on the ground. I should probably collect all the apples I thin for this reason, but it’s hard enough to get the thinning done that I currently only collect curc-scarred stone fruits.

… speaking of thinning I should be outside right now thinning the rest of my apples. I’m in the home stretch, only a couple trees to go!

[ltilton]

I wait for the June (tho this year it’s coming earlier, like everything) fruit drop

[Olpea]

@Lodidian

If curculio worms in apples and pears get crushed by the growing fruit, why would they have evolved
in this seemingly suicidal way?

I prefer the word adaptation, but either way, both the “predator” and “prey” are constantly changing to some degree to try to “outsmart” the other.

Crab apples are native to North America, at least before settlers arrived from Europe. I don’t know how many millennia they were here with curcs, but probably a long time. Crab apples don’t grow as fast as bigger apples, so maybe the survival rate is better in crabs. And even if they can successfully procreate in large apples some, that can still be a “win” for them, since each female can lay 70 eggs.