Author Topic: Borer in my Grapefruit tree  (Read 4880 times)

Darkman

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Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« on: April 16, 2014, 09:55:00 PM »
My 20+ year old grapefruit was completely defoliated by this years Winter. It has sent out quite a bit of new sprouts and clearly was on the road to recovery when I discovered hundreds of frass piles on the trunk and limbs. After removing the frass I discovered a small, size of a pinhead, hole. I have not seen any bugs. Ambrosia beetles are not supposed to attack Citrus. I am very worried about this and I am considering using Spinosad, Imidacloprid and Summer oil. I wlll not see any fruit this year and the tree is about twenty five feet tall with a twenty foot spead. It grows through my deck and the lowest limbs are at about seven feet (from deck) and are huge (8"-10").

What are your thoughts?

Millet

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2014, 10:20:52 PM »
Darkman, I have never heard of this type of a problem with citrus. My suggestion is to contact your county extension agent.  He should be familiar with insect problem in his county. - Millet

sugar land dave

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2014, 10:43:28 PM »
Carpenter ants?  They love large trees especially if they can have aphids nearby.  As Millet suggests, a well placed phone call should bring help.

joeb

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2014, 10:17:06 PM »
They are ambrosia beetles and they will kill your citrus tree. They have also attacked my weakened citrus trees. spraying of the trunk and limbs will not kill the bugs, the chemicals cannot reach them, take a spray can of permethrin based spray and put a small straw on the nozzle, wear safety glasses and spray directly into each bored hole, after knocking the sawdust off.  The beetles are only about a half inch into the hole. I use Bengal Roach Spray, 2% permethrin and it comes with the straw do this ASAP or you will lose the tree.

Darkman

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2014, 07:43:03 PM »
Hi Joeb,

Why are you certain it is Ambrosia. There are many boring beetles. The ambrosias tell is the long line of frass they leave as they bore INTO the trunk. I do not have that. I have a small pile of frass such as one would leave when boring OUT of a tree. The Pin head beetle does this. I hope I am right. I have not found any beetles yet. I am considering the solution you described to be on the safe side. however I have hundreds of holes to deal with and I would need a twelve foot ladder to reach many of them.

My current plans include twenty ounces of Imidacloprid, Spinosad, permethrin and Summer oil. I will not see any fruit from this tree for two years and it will not bloom this year so I believe all will be safe.

joeb

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2014, 10:43:35 PM »
I am certain the beetles I have are ambrosia beetles, I have not seen your tree, however your beetles are most likely not ambrosia since you stated they are 12 ft. high and they are so many of them and there is no frass protruding from the bark. also they like smaller trees. That being said the spray can method should still work, just a lot more holes to spray.

Darkman

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2014, 04:57:46 PM »
Well I finally caught three of the little bast err borers and after a lengthy web search I am 100% sure that I have no clue and I'd probably need a microscope and a college degree to figure it out. Seems the two borers are indistinguishable to me. I have requested from a local expert in these matters but have not heard back from them.

Tom

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2014, 11:57:40 PM »
Georgia Extension could help with ID and they will use a microscope. Tom

Darkman

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2014, 08:49:56 AM »
Georgia Extension could help with ID and they will use a microscope. Tom

Tom do you have a contact number for the right party?

If I cannot get it identified locally I may go that route.

Tom

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Re: Borer in my Grapefruit tree
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2014, 04:11:38 PM »
Darkman, I'm sorry I was thinking you were in Georgia. I'm sure Florida has a great Extension Service too. In Alabama they were in very county at one time but with all the belt tightening that is not always true now. Some places have an office covering two or three counties from one office. I'm 99 % sure there is a Florida Extension Service in Pensacola. You should bag up a representative sample and maybe take pictures too. Take into office while still fresh or call first and find out when an agent will be there. I will google on line to see if I can find it for you. Tom