Control of Western Cherry Fruit Fly - Ask Extension
In my little home orchard I have about 8 cherry trees, sweet and Pie cherries. The last two years I have lost my entire crop in spite of spraying the...
Knowledgebase
Control of Western Cherry Fruit Fly #175318
Asked April 16, 2014, 2:48 AM EDT
In my little home orchard I have about 8 cherry trees, sweet and Pie cherries. The last two years I have lost my entire crop in spite of spraying them with products recommended at the stores. I have very complete information from the internet, how and when to spray, etc., except what to spray with. What chemical spray? In the past I have used diazinon and malathion successfully for most fruit tree pests, but now I can't even find those. What do I use?
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
We now have two fruit flies as problems in our cherry orchards. Until recently, only the western cherry fruit fly was a problem, but the spotted wing drosophila (fruit fly) has become a widespread problem in southern Oregon. Both can be controlled with the use of spinosad.
General cultural and control information for the spotted wing drosophila is at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/pnw-insect-management-handbook/emerging-pest-spotted-wing-drosophila and specifics of spray for it are at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/tree-fruit/cherry/cherry-spotted-wing-drosophila
Control information for the western cherry fruit fly are at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/tree-fruit/cherry/cherry-western-cherry-fruit-fly
For both but particularly with the spotted wing drosophila, pick your fruit as soon as possible.
General cultural and control information for the spotted wing drosophila is at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/pnw-insect-management-handbook/emerging-pest-spotted-wing-drosophila and specifics of spray for it are at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/tree-fruit/cherry/cherry-spotted-wing-drosophila
Control information for the western cherry fruit fly are at http://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/tree-fruit/cherry/cherry-western-cherry-fruit-fly
For both but particularly with the spotted wing drosophila, pick your fruit as soon as possible.
