Look at these Bugs on my Nectarines, what are they? (forum)

farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com starts with ...
Nectarine fruits invested with some sort of bug, treated with Dipel and food grade canola oil.
But what are they?
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 14th December 2016 8:28am

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About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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Julie says...
Are they actually doing any harm? Can't see any holes or marks.

Dipel is only for moths and butterflies, it's not effective for anything else.

Time: 14th December 2016 9:46pm

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About the Author Julie
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
Yes, they seem to be leaving a mottled and rough texture on the skin, maybe like they are sucking it?
And I was told Dipel is for any soft bodied critter, at any rate, it seems to have worked on one of my trees, the bugs have vanished after spraying with Dipel - maybe those bugs are moths, there is a light on permanently nearby.


Time: 15th December 2016 12:16am

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Original Post was last edited: 15th December 2016 12:18am

About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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SueBee says...
They are aphids I think.

Time: 15th December 2016 7:41am

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About the Author SueBee
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
I think aphids are green, the ones on the nectarines are grey

Time: 16th December 2016 7:19pm

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About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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Julie says...
Dipel:
&quote;Controls Armyworm, cotton bollworm, native budworm (Helicoverpa sp), cabbage moth caterpillars, cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, green looper, lightbrown apple moth caterpillars, pear looper, vine moth caterpillars, soybean looper, tobacco looper.&quote;e;e; All moth and butterfly larvae.

They look pretty big for aphis, but you could try spraying with soapy water. It wouldn't do any harm.


Time: 16th December 2016 9:41pm

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Original Post was last edited: 16th December 2016 9:43pm

About the Author Julie
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brad16 says...
I've seen these, but not in these numbers. Just a few here and there and never gave them a second though.

The other night I left a light on and it attracted them in numbers similar to those in your picture, so maybe your permanently lit light has helped to cause this.

I remember feeling a 'bite' on my arm one day and seeing one of these when I looked, so I'm confident they are 'sucking' insects.

I'm inclined to think they are a type of leafhopper or jassid. I quickly Googled them for a picture to ID them but didn't find an exact match. The reason I think they are leafhoppers, is because I saw an illustration on the label of a bottle of Defender Pyrethrum www.scottsaustralia.com.au/media/1856/defender-pyrethrum.jpg in Bunnings. The bottom left one looks similar to these and is labelled 'Leafhoppers' (which turned out to a broad name for lots of things, like mini grasshoppers).

I don't have any Pyrethrum, haven't used it and have never tried to control these things, so I'm not specifically recommending a product.

Time: 18th December 2016 2:36pm

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About the Author brad16
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
I sprayed again with a stronger solution of some dipel and added some detergent. I think it has made a difference to the numbers, I will have to wait till tomorrow and see. thanks for all your responses.

Time: 19th December 2016 10:00am

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About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
oh, I would like to mention, I have my fruit trees under net, so the only way they would have got to the nectarines is if they hatched on the ground - the netting is new from about a couple of months ago, and it is fruit fly netting, so they cannot have flown in
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Picture: 1

Time: 19th December 2016 10:05am

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Julie says...
My 'What Garden Pest Or Disease Is That' has a picture of apple leafhoppers, which look just the same: '4mm long and greenish yellow with red eyes. They look like tiny cicadas and jump and fly readily. They are usually found congregated under the leaf, where they suck sap and generally cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall'.

Does this description fit? The only damage to the actual fruit seems to be from sticky droppings which are hard to remove. Carbaryl and dimethoate are recommended for control - yuk!



Time: 19th December 2016 9:56pm

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About the Author Julie
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
Well, one tree in one tunnel is totally free from any bugs now, but the other tree, in another tunnel still has some little suckers on the fruit.
- yes - I did notice today that the leaves around those fruits have turned yellow, but I thought that would be from lack of water(?) , maybe another spray with a good watering will work some more.


Time: 20th December 2016 4:15pm

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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
This morning, the other tree is almost completely free of the little critters too, so Dipel / detergent works well, and my nectarine crop has been saved for this year. Now I have to go and fend of the King Parrots from the Almond!

oh and yes - Really does look like the bottom left one on the Pyrethrum picture - 'Leafhoppers' - Good spotting Brad!

Time: 21st December 2016 10:23am

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Original Post was last edited: 21st December 2016 10:33am

About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
oh yes - Really does look like the bottom left one on the Pyrethrum picture - 'Leafhoppers' - Good spotting Brad!

Time: 21st December 2016 10:32am

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peter30001 says...
hi farmplants,

nice tunnel,
what are the hoops made from?

Time: 21st December 2016 8:25pm

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About the Author peter30001
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farmplantsandseeds@gmail.com says...
The loops are made from 8m lengths of 2
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 24th December 2016 9:32am

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Original Post was last edited: 24th December 2016 9:49am

About the Author FarmPlantsSeeds
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peter30001 says...
thanks for all of that.
will check with some rural suppliers
for pipe.
in sa so no fruit fly yet.

been thinking of making about 6 of
them mainly for figs.

Time: 24th December 2016 9:57pm

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About the Author peter30001
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