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Plum Curculio is a type of fruit feeding insect that generally found in the fruits of Peach trees. These insects are tiny in size and so it is suitable for them to drill into the fruit without any external damage. Life cycle of this insect instigate with laying of eggs by the female adults insect over the outer skin of peach fruit. Later during the larval stage the larvae it pears into the fruit reaching the endocarp part. The feeding of fruit is done from inside and thus there will no sign of attack until the entire endocarp of the fruit is damaged. Thus these insects in large population have the capability to destroy the entire fruits of the trees in a farm making a huge loss for the farmers. Since the native of the insect is America, the peach tree farms in several parts of United States suffer the deterioration of this peach pest.
The major infestation of this insect is observed in Plums and that is why it got the name Plum Curculio. During spring season which is generally the month of fruits, is the apt period for the insect to take on the process of attack followed by laying of eggs in the sense initially the insect creates a falcate groove on the fruits to create a stable place for egg laying and then the stage of reproduction will start. Fruits like apples, wooden apples, pears, quinces, cherries, apricots and some other spring fruits are also witnessed with the infestation of Plum Curculio pests.
Unless they are identified, the whole fruit bearing tree is supposed get destroyed with the increase in their numbers. They are hard insects with strong outer sheath and that helps them to resist the application of several chemical insecticides. Control method should be taken immediately after their identification or else it will be difficult to sketch out in which fruit area they are infesting.
Organic control of Plum Curculio with Neem oil spray can help in reducing the chance of eggs laying over the fruit by emitting strong allergic odor unsuitable for insect to breed. The suggestion of using this spray is made because Neem oil has been moderately successful in controlling over 600 insect varieties including tough insects like Japanese beetles, Grub worms, red mites, etc. Practice of Neem oil spray has to done with some dilution once or twice for a week in order to eradicate the Plum Curculio from further infestation.
Author: Adam Teaser - neem
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