Print
Email Story
Fruit flies, codling moths and homeowners with neglected ornamental fruit trees in their yards spend way too much time together.
We're talking about trees like apple, cherry, crabapple and pear -- any fruit tree at all.
Fruit flies are always a concern in the Mid-Columbia, but when certain species show up the urgency level rises.
That's what happened last month when a destructive species of Asian fruit fly that can ruin ripening soft fruit was found in a Pasco orchard and another in Mattawa.
Spotted-wing drosophila, a type of red-eyed vinegar fly, was found in a trap in a semi-abandoned apricot orchard in Pasco.
Combined with the ubiquitous codling moths and other fruit flies, it's a constant threat for our area's agriculture.
In 2004, a codling moth was discovered in a load of Washington apples destined for Taiwan -- halting exports to that country for more than a year and costing Washington growers an estimated $60 million.
Amateurs with neglected fruit trees in their yards aren't helping. In fact, they're making things worse. That solitary untended tree is a lure that could endanger an entire nearby orchard.
Fruit flies are attracted especially to ripe fruit that has fallen to the ground -- a sight with which many residents in the Tri-Cities are all too familiar.
Commercial growers have detailed instructions, barns full of sprays and close contact with ag authorities to know how to combat these incursions before they become invasions.
But homeowners are a different matter.
Too often the individual fruit trees planted in yards are neither harvested nor treated, and are annual invitations to harmful fruit flies to set up shop.
That's why in Benton County the Horticultural Pest & Disease Board's Frank Wolf offers advice to homeowners on how to care for fruit trees properly and, more importantly, will issue homeowners a $50 voucher per tree that is removed and not replaced by another fruit tree.
Benton County's program is limited to a certain geographical area -- in Finley and east of Highway 395 in Kennewick.
In Franklin County, the vouchers are issued border-to-border.
Flies aren't the only threats, of course; there are many diseases for fruit trees.
But right now it's flies that are in the news.
If you are not spraying and treating your fruit trees properly, here are some less-than-ideal actions you can take:
w Do not let the fruit simply rot on the ground. That's not an invitation to harmful insects, it's a summons.
w If you don't treat your trees, gather up the fruit from the ground and the trees and compost it -- but crush it first and bury it under other composting materials.
w Gather it up and put it in a garbage can with a tight lid, or sealed bag for disposal.
w If you know what you're doing, spraying the trees may be beneficial, but there's no guarantee. Other, useful insects might be killed by the thousands to reach one fruit fly -- or none.
Tom Wilson of the Franklin County board has a method he recommends for homeowners with untended trees.
"Any tree that bears fruit should have a spray program," he said. "For trees that don't, the best program is a chain saw and Roundup on the stump. ... Simply cut the tree down yourself or have it done."
The $50 voucher probably won't go far if you have the work done. But it will help.
If you cut the tree down yourself, you can still receive a voucher that will be recognized by local nurseries to buy any plants or trees you want to replace the cut-down tree. (Anything except another fruit tree, of course. In that case, the deal is off.)
The Franklin County board does spot-check for compliance, and it is OK to buy chain saws or other agricultural equipment with the vouchers.
If you think you might qualify for the program, here are the numbers to call (You must call the board before you cut the tree down to qualify for the voucher):
Benton County -- (509) 539-0069.
Franklin County -- (509) 545-3580.
They'll be glad to hear from you.
