FRUIT CROP PESTS

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO PREVENT FRUIT INSECT ATTACKS

Fruit plants are subject to attack by different types of insects and pests that can cause different types of damage to the orchard, some quite serious. When one does not know the pest attacking the plant, it is easy to make a mistake and use a remedy that could do more damage than the cure. In order for pest defence and trapping to be effective without or with little use of pesticides, it is very important to prevent and, to do this, it is necessary to know the insect’s seasonality, behaviour and life cycle: only in this way will we be sure to act not only at the right time, but also to study a defence strategy that is not invasive and does not damage the ecosystem of our cultivation.

For a better understanding, one only has to think of the different types of harmful flies that lay their eggs on the fruit just as it is ripening, a time when it is no longer even possible to chemically treat the plant. The larvae feed on the inside of the fruit causing serious damage to the harvest. Considering that fruit flies reproduce several times in a single season, acting when the first generation of these pests arrives means avoiding excessive reproduction and, consequently, a lower number of specimens in the next generation. How? By mass trapping and capturing as many adults as possible, consistently until the end of the season, catching even the last generation of adults.

Here are some useful articles on how to make an effective and environmentally friendly pest fly trapping, depending on the type. In the insect cards at the top of the page, on the other hand, you can learn more about the seasonality, behaviour and life cycle of each type of fruit fly.