What is wrong with my peach tree? - Ask Extension
I see these yellow spots near many leaf stems and an occasional web in the canopy of my peach. There are also periodic holes eaten through the leaves,...
Knowledgebase
What is wrong with my peach tree? #646156
Asked June 04, 2020, 6:38 PM EDT
I see these yellow spots near many leaf stems and an occasional web in the canopy of my peach. There are also periodic holes eaten through the leaves, but this seems less prevalent. I would love a diagnosis. Please see photo. Thank you!
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
A likely pest is the Eastern tent caterpillar. See the following website for more details. A picture of the web and a caterpillar would help to assess this. See: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/eastern-tent-caterpillars
The yellow spots do look like caterpillars. Use a hand magnifier and look closely at the spots.
Another possibility is scales. The leaves would feel sticky due the honeydew excreted by the scale.
I was able to get a photo of a bug that’s on the fruit now, and a close up of the bumps. (The photos aren’t very clear, I was teetering on a ladder with a strong breeze) The bumps are hard and I can pick them off. They are now green. They are on every leaf, so I’m assuming now they may be normal? I have wrapped the fruit in maggot wraps and took off a lot of damaged fruit. Thank you.
I was able to get a photo of a bug that’s on the fruit now, and a close up of the bumps. (The photos aren’t very clear, I was teetering on a ladder with a strong breeze) The bumps are hard and I can pick them off. They are now green. They are on every leaf, so I’m assuming now they may be normal? I have wrapped the fruit in maggot wraps and took off a lot of damaged fruit. Thank you.
I was able to get a photo of a bug that’s on the fruit now, and a close up of the bumps. (The photos aren’t very clear, I was teetering on a ladder with a strong breeze) The bumps are hard and I can pick them off. They are now green. They are on every leaf, so I’m assuming now they may be normal? I have wrapped the fruit in maggot wraps and took off a lot of damaged fruit. Thank you.
I was able to get a photo of a bug that’s on the fruit now, and a close up of the bumps. (The photos aren’t very clear, I was teetering on a ladder with a strong breeze) The bumps are hard and I can pick them off. They are now green. They are on every leaf, so I’m assuming now they may be normal? I have wrapped the fruit in maggot wraps and took off a lot of damaged fruit. Thank you.
The bumps are likely galls made by tiny mites. They do not damage the leaves or fruit. The bug is very blurry; since you have wrapped the fruit it will not be a problem. The web could also be a spider. Good luck with your crop!
Another expert suggests that a these bumps may be extrafloral nectaries; the plant is exchanging nectar for defence by the ants. They do not hurt the trees. See: https://www.reddit.com/r/sfwtrees/comments/8n36j2/small_bumps_on_all_dwarf_peach_tree_leaves_tree/
My bug guess: Maybe tarnished plant bug. http://treefruit.wsu.edu/crop-protection/opm/lygus-bugs/