Apple maggot flies. I don’t have many apple maggot fly traps set up, but I did get to check a few traps this week. At URI’s East Farm orchard I caught a total of 8 apple maggot flies on 3 traps over the past week. That is over the threshold of 2 flies per trap […]

European red mites have caused bronzing in many orchards this season. And I have not seen many predator mites. It is best to treat trees before the leaves bronze – a bronzed leaf never turns green again. The threshold for this time of year is 2.5 European red mites per leaf or 65% of leaves […]

The only insect pests I’m seeing are European red mites, green apple aphids and potato leafhoppers. The threshold for European red mites for this time of year is 2.5 mites per leaf or 65% of leaves with red mites. Miticide options include Acramite, Nexter, Zeal and Fujimite. Green apple aphids are in large numbers in […]

I found another orchard with fire blight on June 22. Everyone should have looked in their orchard by now to see if you see any fire blight strikes. They look like someone hit the last 12 inches of a terminal branch with a blow torch. That’s why it’s called fire blight. These strikes should be […]

I want you all to look in your orchards for fire blight strikes. I found fire blight in one orchard today and last week I heard of another orchard with fire blight. Look for ends of branches, the terminals, that have turned brown. Often the very tips of the terminals are curved in a characteristic […]