PEPPER MAGGOT

[andy999]

How to control them without chemicals???

It is common to find tiny fly maggots feeding on decaying material in peppers that have succumbed to disease or European corn borer attack. These larvae feed on decaying material and do not injure sound peppers. But the pepper maggot is a different type of fly. The pepper maggot is a relatively large larva, nearly a half inch in length, feeding on otherwise sound fruit. When mature, the larva is light yellow in color. The body is pointed near the head and blunt toward the rear. After feeding on the pepper for two to three weeks, the maggot drops to the soil, and pupates two to four inches below ground. Adults begin to emerge from the soil the following year in early summer through mid-August. The adult pepper maggot is a brightly colored fly with a pale yellow head, green eyes, tan thorax, pale yellow abdomen and clear wings with brown bands. There is only one generation per year.

Any specific trap to use.They destroying my sweet pepers and my Rocoto pepers.

 

[MyWifeHatesMyObsession]

I too would like to know how to control these pest, I found them inside some of my Orange Habs

 

[newhotstuff]

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (H.B.) nematodes are active pepper maggot larva seekers and move quickly through the soil.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/NemaSeek-Beneficial-Nematodes-H-bacteriophora

http://greenmethods.com/shop/buy-bugs/3/

 

[smokemaster]

I've read that Nematodes have been good for getting rid of the ones in their soil stage.
I know they work on grubs in my pots and cutworms.They got rid of the Termites for about 5 yrs too.
I buy them at the nursery but you can get them online too.

Here is info on what different ones attack what...

http://www.tiptopbio.com/tech_bulletins.html

I used both Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora(controls over 200 bug species) in my pots to get rid of grubs and whatever else had the stupid idea of messing with my peppers.
They only attack certain things-not earthworms.

I put them in a 2 gal. pump sprayer and spray my pots after I water in the early evening.
I don't see Pepper beetle specifically named but for about $15. - $20. it's worth a try.

The magot turns into a Weevil and some nematodes are good for getting a lot of different weevils.
You might not see the effects until the next year though,they only get the stage in the ground...

Weevil info

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/beetle/pepper_weevil.htm

Maybe the nematodes are why I never get pepper weevils/beetles.

I guess we were both typing at the same time.

 

[Silver_Surfer]

Another option that could be combined with the nematode attack is to spray with permethrin to kill the adult fly stage, but that requires timing.

Once those buggers get inside the pods they're home free.

 

[newhotstuff]

You could do the nematodes and put wedding vale material around ur plants this season too. Problem solved.