Thanks!
I believe I am seeing the black fig fly in San Luis Obispo County. See the images below. Anyone else in this area seeing it too? All of my figs have been dropping before they ripen and I can see a small hole where something has burrowed in.
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Yeah, I think that is Black Fig Fly.
And it’s a small detail, but the holes you’re seeing are where the larvae come out. They’re deposited as eggs at the ostiole by the fly. They grow and tunnel in the fruits and then eat their way out. Good luck!
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Thanks, that makes sense. Such a bummer. I lost all of my breba crop and main crop figs two years in a row (it is a small tree). I am going to try organza bags next year as I am hesitant to spray, but we’ll see how long I can keep at that.
Yeah, this fly is definitely a bummer. I hope it doesn’t spread too far and wide.
I’m not sure how effective spraying is proving to be for people dealing with this pest. From what I’ve heard, there’s been pretty good success with bagging and trapping. I’m hoping that letting chickens roam beneath trees could be effective too as part of the life cycle is completed in the soil beneath trees. After the larvae eat their way out of the fruit, they drop to the ground where they transform from larva to fly.
Chickens, ducks and or turkeys will remove the dropped fruit & scratch up the dirt to eat the maggots.
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There has been some sightings of BFF-like damage in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto. I think they are waiting for ID from county Ag department. If it’s confirmed, this is devastating news but I guess isn’t a surprise given the sightings in So. Cal last year.
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Hi @Richard, I would like to treat my area for black fig fly. I have continued to see it the last two years. What is the appropriate timing to do a soil soaking of WDG to kill larvae? Any advice is appreciated, as I am not very knowledgeable in timing sprays to control different pests.