Peachtree borer treatment - Ask Extension
I spotted a female peachtree borer in my garden today and since I have a mature peach tree in my yard I can assume she laid eggs there. I am having a ...
Knowledgebase
Peachtree borer treatment #876035
Asked July 05, 2024, 4:20 PM EDT
I spotted a female peachtree borer in my garden today and since I have a mature peach tree in my yard I can assume she laid eggs there. I am having a hard time figuring out how to treat at this point. I see recommendations to spray the trunk and base with an insecticide but I'm unclear what type/brand is most effective. I am usually an organic gardener but I am OK with using targeted control as needed to keep my tree alive. It is my only peach tree and it has just started being very productive! Thank you!
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
Peach Tree borers (Synanthedon exitiosa) are a major pest of stone fruits, which include plums, cherries, nectarines, apricots and, of course, peaches. The female lays between 200 to 800 eggs per season, most often in cracks or injury sites on the trunk or in the soil at the base of the tree. There is only one generation of peach tree borer each season.
Larvae emerge in about 10 days. This is a time when the borer is most vulnerable to control. If you see the reddush-brown eggs before they hatch, it’s a matter of scraping them off and destroying them. If you notice a gooey sap mixed with sawdust, the borer has already entered the trunk. If you can see the where the sap is leaking, use a thin wire to kill the borer before it gets too far into the tree. However, once the larvae have entered the tree, control is very difficult.
Pheromone traps are useful in learning when the female is active, which is the best time to watch for eggs and larvae.
The most effective way to ensure control of the peach tree borer is preventive insecticide treatment. Be sure to look for a product that includes both the fruit and the pest it controls. Although I am not permitted to make specific product recommendations, look for insecticides with the active ingredients of permethrin or carbaryl. They have the necessary residual activity to continue to kill eggs and larvae as they hatch. It is important to drench the trunk and the root area to ensure full coverage into the soil.
The female is most active in late June and early July, making this the best time to scout for borers and apply preventive insecticide. Be sure to follow all label directions for mixing and application. If you have specific questions regarding insecticides, contact your local extension office at franklin.osu.edu
https://extension.psu.edu/tree-fruit-insect-pest-peachtree-borer
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/peach-tree-borer-5-566/
Larvae emerge in about 10 days. This is a time when the borer is most vulnerable to control. If you see the reddush-brown eggs before they hatch, it’s a matter of scraping them off and destroying them. If you notice a gooey sap mixed with sawdust, the borer has already entered the trunk. If you can see the where the sap is leaking, use a thin wire to kill the borer before it gets too far into the tree. However, once the larvae have entered the tree, control is very difficult.
Pheromone traps are useful in learning when the female is active, which is the best time to watch for eggs and larvae.
The most effective way to ensure control of the peach tree borer is preventive insecticide treatment. Be sure to look for a product that includes both the fruit and the pest it controls. Although I am not permitted to make specific product recommendations, look for insecticides with the active ingredients of permethrin or carbaryl. They have the necessary residual activity to continue to kill eggs and larvae as they hatch. It is important to drench the trunk and the root area to ensure full coverage into the soil.
The female is most active in late June and early July, making this the best time to scout for borers and apply preventive insecticide. Be sure to follow all label directions for mixing and application. If you have specific questions regarding insecticides, contact your local extension office at franklin.osu.edu
https://extension.psu.edu/tree-fruit-insect-pest-peachtree-borer
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/peach-tree-borer-5-566/
