I have been studying some of the college studies on pc in the orchard. What they say is pc comes in two waves. The first wave climbs up the trunk and the studies say to use something similar to tanglefoot. The later second wave they fly and the advice is clay.
Has anyone tried the tanglefoot for PC? The study was using some kind of burlap soaked in insecticide wrapped around the trunk.
Edit: I was unable to find the original college paper I was looking at, but this article says basically the same thing. Plum Curculio
Except for this year (too busy), I have tightly wrapped trunks of my fruit trees and smeared the wraps generously with TangleFoot to prevent ants from farming aphids. I wrapped the trees during blooming time which should be a good time before PC become active.
For the past 5-6 years of doing this, I have not seen a single PC stuck on the wraps. Somehow, fruit on those trees sustained serious damage when I didn’t spray in a timely manner. Maybe, PC around me know to fly when needed?
I was unable to find the original college paper I was looking at, but this article says basically the same thing. They say to put it on weeks before flowering.
I have often read that there are only 2 or 3 “waves” of PC but I’m convinced I get more than that. Anyone else think so?> Surely that depends on where a person is located. It might be true for nothern zones with shorter seasons, but here in TN I get first hits as early as late April and I keep getting them all the way through August, about every 2-3 weeks. Its possible that I sometimes mistake OFM for PC but I don’t think that explains it all. I think there are more than 2 life cycles of PC here.
Kevin,
Per UMass, in New England, we have one generation of PC and 3 generations of OFM.
I can attest to that since I have had flagging shoots of my peaches into late Sept/ early Oct.
It also says PC has the 2nd generations emerging in July/Aug, probably further south like where you are.
I read somewhere else that OFM can have up to 5 generations further south, too.
No wonder you have such a battle with these pests all season long.
That is very helpful and what I’ve long suspected. Also proves one more reason why fruit growing can be complicated. One person can say they have 3 generations of OFM and another person can say they have 5 generations and BOTH of them can be right (if they live in different areas). Sometimes I forget this when I’m reading a university publication. I sometimes forget that what might be true at the UMASS orchard may be 100% correct for them but not correct for me, hundreds of miles south. Your information proves what I know but sometimes forget- most fruit growing facts are location dependent! (or at least many are). Thanks
According to the other article they are to young to fly and the temps have to be right… Like you I found it odd they would not fly. I will already be doing tangle foot, so it does not hurt to do it earlier and test the theory.
I smear tanglefoot on tree trunks every year. It does effectively stop the ants farming the aphids. And somewhat disencouraged the squirrels to get on the tree if there are other food source. But it never stopped PC.
I read PC will not be active till night temperature is in / or above 60s which way passed the petals fall stage in late May early June. But by that time , the damage is already done. if PC is too cold to be active yet who crawled into the fruits?