Latest Fig Pests and Control Methods

Although the fig is called "flowerless," it is actually a flowering plant. The fig is a plant that combines medicinal, ornamental, and economic value. It has a very obvious therapeutic effect on indigestion and high blood lipids. The fig tree is currently the plant with the highest input-output ratio, with high yield and easy management. It also has relatively few pests. But although it has fewer pests than other plants, some pest problems will still occur if you are not careful. Below I will explain the common pests of figs and their control methods.

1. Mulberry longhorn beetle pest

The mulberry longhorn beetle pest mainly occurs in the first half of June and becomes prevalent beginning in the second half of the month. Adults begin laying eggs from June to August, and the egg masses are laid on branches about 40 cm from the ground. When laying eggs, the adults gnaw ""-shaped or "v"-shaped notches in the bark and place the eggs inside them. After the egg masses hatch, larvae emerge. The larvae are very easy to spot; finding unknown brown matter on the tree indicates that larvae are definitely present. The larvae bore on the branches from the outside inward and remain in the phloem layer to prepare for winter. The main control method is to catch and manually kill the adults during the annual pest outbreak period. Pesticides such as dichlorvos or miechongjing can also be sprayed to kill the larvae.

2. Yellow slug moth pest

The yellow slug moth pest, like the mulberry longhorn beetle, occurs every June, but the yellow slug moth lays its eggs on the underside of leaves. The egg stage is short, and egg-laying is completed within at most ten days. After the larvae emerge, they begin feeding on the leaf mesophyll, leaving the veins. By the end of feeding, the entire leaf is left with only the veins, forming a net-like pattern. After growing larger, they continue feeding on the leaves until only the petiole remains. During the larval stage, pesticides such as dichlorvos can be sprayed to control the larvae, with good control results. The yellow slug moth is also phototactic, so this can be used to set up light traps to kill them. Pesticides can be sprayed around the tree trunk and on the ground to kill the adults.

3. Black velvet chafer pest

The larvae of the black velvet chafer mainly damage the roots of fig trees, while the adults feed on new branches and new leaves, and mainly engage in mass-triggered binge feeding. The adults overwinter in the soil, and when temperatures rise in spring they emerge in large numbers and attack the new branches and new leaves of fig trees. In summer they lay eggs in the soil, and after the larvae emerge they feed on the roots underground, seriously affecting the growth and development of figs. During the spring pest outbreak period, use slender leaves dipped in pesticides such as dichlorvos and insert them into the soil for trap-killing treatment, and mix chemical agents into the soil and stir it to poison and kill the larvae in the ground. The black velvet chafer also has a period of time when it stays on the tree in a state of feigned death. Using the adults' feigned-death period, shake the trunk to make them fall off for manual killing.

These three are the relatively common pests of figs. All three pests damage different parts of the fig tree and can cause great harm to figs. The larvae of the chafer in particular, if not dealt with, will eat through all the roots of the entire tree, causing the whole tree to be unable to absorb water and nutrients, and finally to wither and die. Diseases of fig trees are very rare, and their resistance to disease is relatively strong, but this does not mean there are no diseases, such as gray leaf spot, so you should not be careless.