Native pest does not fall far from the tree
(NC) The apple maggot, which is a fly native to North America, has been a serious pest in Canada for over 100 years. It was identified in Edmonton in 2005 and has since infected most of the city’s apple trees.
Female apple maggots deposit eggs under the apple skin. Larvae feed on it, causing the fruit to rot internally. Once one apple is infected, surrounding trees become vulnerable as well.
Apple growers have discovered that they are able to protect their orchards and eliminate the pest by spraying their trees with insecticides. If left unchecked, this pest would have a devastating impact on Canada’s apple industry – which produces 22 million bushels of this popular fruit every year.
Growers say they are pleased to have access to crop protection products that keep the bounty free from disease, bacteria and insects. Without these tools, Canadians would certainly miss the nutrition of their ‘apple a day’
