2020 Peachtree Borer
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2020 Peachtree Borer
Landscape & Garden Treasure Valley
Peachtree Borer (Synanthedon exitiosa)
Posted on: June 10, 2020 by Nic Usabel
Peachtree bores have been caught in traps, maintained by Idaho Master Gardeners, in Middleton and Nampa. This pest is a concern for stone fruits: Peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, and plum. Key symptoms of peachtree borer infestation is the presence of sawdust and frass mixed with the gummy substance near the base of the trunk. Prevention is the best method of control.
Larvae injure the fruit tree primarily by burrowing into the tree trunks just at or below the soil line but may enter trunk up to 12” above the soil line. Larvae feed in the cambium beneath the bark girdling the tree.
Chemical Control, Home Use: For orchards less than 1 acre, or for home yard trees, preventative trunk sprays are the primary control. Apply the first application immediately after first trap catch and repeat application based on product label guidelines. Follow the required pre-harvest interval (time between last application and allowed harvest of fruit) of insecticide product. Apply insecticide as a bark drench at a rate of ½ to 1 gallon of spray mix per tree. Thoroughly cover the lower 12 inches of trunk and soak the ground at the base of tree. Do not allow the sprays to contact fruit. For chemical option review the PNW handbook link below.
Chemical Control, Commercial: Reference the PNW handbook link below to see spring and summer application recommendations.
Cultural Control: Larvae inside the trunks can be killed by inserting a wire into entry holes. Kill larvae in the late summer and fall before they spend the winter and inflict their most extensive feeding damage the following spring. Keep base of tree free of vegetation – heat and dryness reduce the survival of eggs and larvae.
» https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/tree-fruit/peach-nectarine/peach-nectarine-peachtree-borer
» https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/peach-tree-borer-5-566/
