A formidable, but gullible insect

The fly is an enemy of apple, plum and pear growers. The female lays her eggs under the skin of the fruit. The eggs become larvae, which resemble worms, and they burrow into the apples’ flesh, called pulp. You’ve certainly seen these small tunnels that resemble brown lines. They’re a catastrophe.

Fortunately, the apple maggot gets caught in this imitation game. It can’t tell the difference between a real apple and an apple maggot trap, which is simply a round ball covered in glue that never dries. To make these traps even more effective, a fruit scent is added to the glue. When flies visit a trap hanging in an apple tree, they stick to it forever.

If two or three apple traps are hung on a medium-sized tree, up to 98% of the fruit is protected.

Pheromone trap

There’s another way to combat insects that wreak havoc and, at the same time, to attract pollinating insects, or those that enable flowers to become fruit. This method involves the use of pheromones.

What are pheromones? Pheromones are substances secreted by animals, insects, certain plants and even mushrooms. They enable individuals of the same species to communicate with one another. Pheromones are very effective among insects, which is why we use pheromone traps.