Peach-tree Borers!

This brings up an interesting point a bit off topic. I agree that apricot wood is harder . I top worked two manchurian bush apricots this spring. The wood was very heavy almost like an Osage orange. The two apricots are about 18 years old and not really a bush. The trunk was 4 inches in diameter at chest high where I cut it off. They have been very tough trees, growing well in a less than ideal spot in the back yard. I grafted a peach onto each one this spring. They seem to be doing fine. I wounder if it might be an option as a rootstock in places that the borers are such a problem.

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I was wondering the same thing. Hope you get some reply’s. Bill

I was thinking the same thing because its the rootsock they are attacking.
I cant say I have ever seen peach tree borer resistant rootstock. I sure wood order lots of it.
I have some 1st yr Krymsk rootstock I’ll have to wait and see if they are attacked also.

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There must be other host plants.
Last month I saw lots and lots of the females flying around this caused me to take Scott’s advice with the neem.
My gut says there must be other host plants in our woods.

For years borers only went after peaches in my orchard and nursery so I never sprayed plums for them. One season my plums all runted out and I figured out it was because of borers. No frass so I hadn’t noticed. Lost about 2 years growth. I still don’t routinely spray for them and it hasn’t happened again.

The Aye Aye is almost extinct but could be the organic solution to all the borer problems.

Check out that middle finger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1CqxkpfSHc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHs5POy8-8Y

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Yup, that’s our answer! Kind of a cross between Yoda and a wet koala.

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I saw one yesterday in my vegetable garden. The big black buzzing female. I think I am lucky, now that I know that they are around in my backyard, I will be ready to fight them.

I think I can finally declare victory, at least in this battle, if not the war.

Tree has finally stopped oozing orange jelly. Base of trunk looks clean. Foliage still appears green and vigorous.

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When I first read that it took me a second to realize that it wasn’t an Aye Aye that you referring to…That would have been pretty cool. :smile:

I discovered a major infestation of borer three weeks ago. The killed many plums and I had to destroy a small peach nursery. I misdiagnosed borer for some kind of fungus infection last year. The are also attacking my cherry trees. I will have better chemicals and timing to prevent this next year.

I am trying to mitigate the damage this year by fumigation with moth crystals. I found the method on a university of Colorado website.



I would spray them with Lorsban if you aren’t attempting to sell certified organic trees. When a pesticide can be applied to a specific small area the environmental impact is minimal. You need immediate kill.

What borer do you have there? I can’t tell from the pictures but its pretty high off the ground. Is it the lesser peachtree borer?

I think you’re wasting your time with the moth crystals. The damage is already done
and the moth crystals aren’t going to kill anything.

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I destroyed the peaches in the nursery. I am waiting for a nursery inspection by the dept if Ag how has already told me they have zero tolerance for borers. I am testing the viability if a small nursery bussiness as I propagate trees to plant Pome orchards.

I have both types of peach borers. The moth crystals should kill the borer. Acording to the article, the fumes get into the trunk. I will remove the dirt and crystals in a coupe weeks and inspect. If there is evidince if living borers I will give Lorsban a try. I would appreciate advice on a preventative spraying program.

Lorsban is the suggested control for Peach-tree Borers in my state (NC) with a application date of around labor day which is the peak period for insect hatch. Lorsban works great on the borers, but I believe it may require a pesticide license to purchase.

I spray my peach, plum and nectarine trees with Triazicide and drench the soil at the base of the
tree. I do this in August, because that is when the mating activity of the borer moth is at its
highest in my area. That’s when the moths lay their eggs that hatch to become the larvae
that bores into the tree. Check with your AG dept. to find out, when that occurs in your area.

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Thanks for the guidance. I had been spraying trazicide but may have been off with the application method and timing. Plus its been a very wet year and hard to keep any spray cover. Apparently, all i have to do for a pestacide licence is pay 30.00 and take a open book test.

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Lorsban may be restricted use in some states, but it has no federal (EPA) restricted use labeling (at least the formulation I use). In KS and MO it’s not restricted use.

You shouldn’t need a license to spray Triazicide.