Apricots full of maggots

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Kriticat

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Apricots full of maggots
« on: June 25, 2014, 08:49:05 AM »
Help! This year the fruit of my early apricot is infested with maggots, and is spoiling before it's fully ripe...
The later trees have yet to show signs but I suspect the worst...any ideas what can I do to prevent this happening next year?
I'd prefer an organic solution but will resort to chemicals if absolutely necessary
20 years gardening on a handkerchief in London, now creating a much bigger plot in the south of Crete...much to learn

David Bracey

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2014, 09:44:06 AM »
The first thing you need to do is to identify the pest...and then its life history so that you can determine the best strategy to control it.

Could you post a pic of the moth, caterpillar or damage?

There two "organic" products.  Bacillus thuringiensis and Neem oil.
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

Kriticat

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2014, 01:21:15 PM »
This is the damage, plus the perp at the scene of the crime...no idea of the original culprit though someone told me that it is the 'stinky bug', which I've always known as the green shield bug. But although there are a few around now I didn't notice that many earlier.
The maggots were tiny when I first noticed them, am certain they didn't originate at blossom time, and someone else told me it always happens when it rains at the wrong time (ie when the fruit is ripening)
Hope the pic quality is good enough to see and identify(had to reduce the size drastically in order to upload it)...and that someone has an answer.
My later apricots and nectarines are due to start cropping soon and I'm tempted to pick them before they are ripe, so at least there might be some usable, if somewhat sharp, fruit. This is what the locals did recently, and I wondered why they had picked them when they were still greenish...now I wish I'd done the same.
20 years gardening on a handkerchief in London, now creating a much bigger plot in the south of Crete...much to learn

David Bracey

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2014, 02:41:16 PM »
They appear to be headless and legless which identifies them as fly larvae, Dipterous species.  Therefore, at a guess, they are probably larvae of the Mediterranean fruit fly, however I could well be wrong.

You could always let the fruit ripen, cut out the offending maggot and frass and eat.  Might be a better option that eating unripe fruit.  The maggots are only protein!
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

Kriticat

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2014, 06:22:19 PM »
Ha, yes, I did that with jam, might have to label it unsuitable for vegetarians!
The nectarines have definitely got the bug too :(
If my citrus are ruined I will have to declare warfare, chemical or otherwise!
20 years gardening on a handkerchief in London, now creating a much bigger plot in the south of Crete...much to learn

cembico

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2018, 11:27:45 AM »
We have the same problem in our apricots in Bodrum, Southwestern Turkey. I have been told that apricots, originating  from dry Eastern Anatolia/Ancient Armenia are not fit for the coastal Mediterranean climate, as opposed to f.e. pear. Hence, I wonder whether you have managed to keep the maggots away, and if so how?
Humble gardener from Bodrum, Turkey.

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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2018, 07:09:14 AM »
I’m sure it’s correct that the apricot trees grown commercially in central and eastern Turkey have been bred to produce their best results in those climate conditions. I did a little bit of googling and learnt that here in Greece the main producers of apricots are in Crete, the Peloponnese and Thessaly in central Greece. Perhaps if you looked at some of our varieties grown in Crete you might find one better suited to your coastal climate.
In my experience they are short-lived trees but here near Athens we have no problem with worms as far as I know.
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece

cembico

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Re: Apricots full of maggots
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2018, 04:16:59 PM »
Thank you Fleur, I will check those varieties grown in Greece...
By the way, I think they are maggots of the whiteflies rather than that of the fruit flies...

Humble gardener from Bodrum, Turkey.