Subject: RE: [NAFEX] Surround Questions; trap crops; cherry fruit fly
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 14:13:35 -0600
There seem to be two schools of thought about having pest-tempting plants
nearby.
I agree completely. In this particular situation, I believe, and the cherry
breeders at the University of Saskatchewan agree, is that the wild habitat
should be removed, which will eventually reduce the cherry fruit fly
population. This probably wouldn't work in a more temperate location where
everyone has a cherry tree in their backyard. Up here, cherries are not
commonly grown, although this is changing.
I plan on cutting down the pincherries in a week or two; waiting until some
of the egg laying has occurred on the pin cherries. The death of the tree,
should spell the death of the larvae. I am leaving a sucker so that I will
do this again next spring as I was told that some adults can survive two
seasons.
Due to the fact that I am organic, it will probably take a few years to
slowly reduce the populations down. I have been told that Cherry fruit fly
traps baited with ammonia only capture 5% of the adult populations.
I'll keep the list updated in August when I harvest.
Dean Kreutzer
www.overthehillorchards.ca
Regina, Saskatchewan Canada
USDA zone 3