Plum Tree Infestation
A number of different insects attack plum trees. The insect damage varies depending upon the species. The Texas AgriLife Extension does not recommend planting plums without implementing an insect-control program. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Plum curculio beetles are 1/4-inch-long, hard-bodied, blackish-brown beetles with long snouts. American plum borers are 5/8-inch to 1-inch-long grayish brown moths. Mealy plum aphids are tiny, light green insects with dark green stripes and a waxy coating. Redhumped caterpillars are about 1 1/2 inches long; they have yellowish bodies with red humps and black and white markings.
Effects
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Female plum curculio beetles lay their eggs in plum fruit; the emerging larvae feed on the flesh. American plum borers produce greenish-gray or purplish-gray larvae that burrow and feed below the bark of plum trees. They girdle the branches and trunk and eventually cause tree death. Mealy plum aphids, which feed on plant juices, stunt plant growth and weaken trees. Redhumped caterpillars defoliate entire young trees by devouring foliage.
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Prevention/Solution
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Plum growers control plum curculio beetles by knocking the beetles from the trees. Biological controls such as predatory insects, wasps and birds feed on American plum borers, while lady beetles, soldier beetles and lacewings feed on mealy plum aphids. Growers control mealy plum aphids with neem oils; they control plum curculio, American plum borer and redhumped caterpillar infestations with traditional insecticides.
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References
- Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Plum Curculio And Its Control
- Cornell University Integrated Pest Management Program: American Plum Borer
- University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Plum - Mealy Plum Aphid
- Washington State University: Redhumped Caterpillar
- Texas AgriLife Extension: Home Fruit Production - Stone Fruit
