Plum curculio farm

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@consteel98

It would be quite tedious to do on a large scale.

Too true! By the time you finish bagging the fruit, the curculios have already had their way with it.

I see I have posted on this topic at least eight times over the last seven years. I never learn.

Free ranging poultry consume several insect pests of apples although they are more effective against those that spend time on the ground such as plum curculios do, so, if this is an option for you, make the most of it!

Here’s a chemical spray that I use:

Pyrethrin or pyrethrum (PyGanic, Pyrenone) is produced in the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium and is the forerunner of the synthetic pyrethroid insecticides. It is available as an emulsifiable concentrate, (PyGanic), or synergized by piperonyl butoxide (Pyrenone). Pyrethrin is labeled against a large number of pests. It may be moderately to highly effective against leafhoppers, aphids, pear psylla, apple maggot, codling moth, true bugs, caterpillars, mealybugs, plum curculio, and thrips. It is quickly broken down in the environment and may be used up to and including the day of harvest. Pyrethrin is relatively non-toxic to humans and other mammals, although the dust produces allergy attacks in people who are allergic to ragweed pollen. The acute oral LD50 is 1200 to 1500 mg/kg. It is toxic to fish, and has a low bee-poisoning hazard.

• Cooley, Daniel R., et al., ed. 2015-2016 New England Tree Fruit Management Guide. UMass Extension.

PyGanic Gardening is a flexible, broad-spectrum insecticide that is organically compliant. It contains the organic active ingredient, Pyrethrins, which is derived from chrysanthemum flowers. Use PyGanic Gardening on growing crops and ornamentals in a outdoor garden setting. PyGanic Gardening provides rapid knockdown and kill on over 100 different listed pests. This product is OMRI listed for organic use. One pint makes up to 16 gallons.

PyGanic Gardening Insecticide

Contrary to Cooley’s assertion, Pyganic is not listed for use against curculio, but I imagine it works. It’s quick. It has to be because it does not persist in sunlight. I pick the first warm evening after petal fall and nuke all that are abroad in one night. Pollinator exposure is minimal as is the risk of rain following.

There are differences of opinion, of course, about needing to use a persistent insecticide on curculio:

Curculio Spray Advice (rain)

Oh, yes, I think you do. You must be speaking of union PC- the scabs just come to work when they feel like it. At any rate, I don’t think anyone can predict when they might show up with adequate accuracy to consistently get good results with a non-persistent poison. They might be working on some nearby shadblow and move when fruit is too far along or might just come from deeper in the woods where it takes longer to warm up (pure speculation here). If you have information based on research o…

Plum Curculio

The problem is that they don’t just come from the area they were the year before. They travel many miles and can show up in an orchard at any point from petal fall until almost 30 days later here.

BTW, it is officially too late to prune apples in Sheboygan, WI, as I finished doing that yesterday.