Fruits and Plantation Crops
Not sure it is this pest? Use the Pest Finder in anee.io ›
Atis and guyabano fruit borer
Caterpillars bore into the fruit, leaving holes with brown frass and webbing, and the flesh inside turns black and rots.
Crops it attacks
Where the damage shows
On fruits, pods or nuts
When to act
Each week look at 20 young fruits per tree for small holes with brown frass and webbing. Bag all fruits before the first holes show. Once a caterpillar is inside, the fruit is lost.
How to prevent it
- Bag atis and guyabano fruits soon after fruit set with paper, net or perforated plastic bags. It is the control that works.
- Pick off and bury bored fruits, and gather fallen fruits every few days, so the caterpillars cannot pupate.
- Thin fruits so they do not touch. Caterpillars often move from fruit to fruit where they press together.
- Prune trees low and open so fruits are easy to bag and check.
- Harvest on time and leave no overripe fruits on the tree.
Natural enemies and biological help
- Egg wasps, ants and spiders attack eggs and young caterpillars on the fruit skin. Avoid broad sprays.
Not sure it is this one?
Many pests look alike. Send a photo to Anee, the smart farm technician in anee.io. She reads it with your crop, its age and the weather, and tells you what it most likely is and what to do first. In Tagalog or English.