Author Topic: Question about pest on my papayas?  (Read 1294 times)

saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Question about pest on my papayas?
« on: July 03, 2020, 07:13:01 PM »
There’s a wasp looking insect that seems to be injecting larvae into the fruit?
What is it and is there a way to stop it? The pic shows the fruit and I’m sure
That’s what is causing the white stuff on the fruit.







gnappi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1974
    • South East Florida (U.S.A) Zone 10A
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2020, 07:59:59 PM »
Papaya fruit fly... You can try bagging them. They start "stinging" them when very young, but I found that the rind is either too thick or hard and the larvae do not  "take" But, once they get to about 2" long, if I do not bag, they get them.

Even then with my mesh bags they can deposit the eggs. The only thing I can do is hope I get them to maturity not injected. Once I pick, I ALWAYS refrigerate them just in case there is larvae and they die. Throwing them in the garbage before refrigerating will keep the cycle going.

PS, I don't bag all of the fruit, I leave some to be "easy targets" for egg deposits and as they mature, I know they're likely infected, refrigerate, and throw away.

Oh, I also inspect the fruits a few times a day and "shoot" them with an open rubber band and kill any fruit flies on the trees.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2020, 08:05:03 PM by gnappi »
Regards,

   Gary

saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2020, 08:11:32 PM »
Thanks for the reply. Wonder if smearing Vaseline or something on them will deter?
Just thinking outside the box lol

pineislander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2199
    • Bokeelia, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2020, 08:40:13 PM »
The problem is usually far less in cooler months.

gnappi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1974
    • South East Florida (U.S.A) Zone 10A
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2020, 08:02:40 PM »
Thanks for the reply. Wonder if smearing Vaseline or something on them will deter?
Just thinking outside the box lol

The best solution I found is leave some unbagged. I "think" they go for fruit they can "feel" when the alight on them. 

Vaseline may be worth trying but it is "Petroleum jelly" and I'm not sure how much if any will leach into the interior of the fruit and taint the flavor?
Regards,

   Gary

skhan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2274
    • United States, Florida, Coral Springs, 10b
    • View Profile
    • Videos of Garden
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2020, 10:36:27 PM »
I found that when my trees were young all the fruit would get infested.
After the trees got 10-12ft I stopped having fly troubles.

That being said, not many of my neighbors are growing papayas so it could be I have a low population in general.
I haven't really checked the summer fruit due to mangos being around so they could be back.

saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2020, 08:15:16 AM »
See the white stuff this wasp has created? The other day I noticed the same
white stuff on a few mangoes. I’m thinking it’s infestiing both papaya and some mangoes?

gnappi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1974
    • South East Florida (U.S.A) Zone 10A
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2020, 09:51:33 AM »
See the white stuff this wasp has created? The other day I noticed the same
white stuff on a few mangoes. I’m thinking it’s infestiing both papaya and some mangoes?

They do not bother mango.
Regards,

   Gary

saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2020, 10:02:17 AM »
Odd. I’ll take a pic later after work. It looks just like it.

saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2020, 07:24:39 PM »
Here’s what I found on my Kent mangoes.
It looks just like it.  I uploaded the wasp/fly from the internet.

 












saltyreefer

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 138
    • Palm Bay, Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Question about pest on my papayas?
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2020, 07:26:21 PM »

Couple others