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What to do about Pepper Maggots?

So I have found recently that I may have an issue with pepper maggots. So far this season I have lost probably about 5 pods due to tiny puncture/exit wholes. However the other day I saw a fairly large whole in a Jalapeno pod and it was all goopy inside after I cut it open to check.
 
Today I went out to do some hand pollination of my rocoto plants and noticed a tiny worm looking thing in one of the flowers. Would never have seen it if it hadn't moved b/c of my brush. Dude was tiny, tan, and had what looked like a black head.
 
How would you deal with this things?
 
I hate them! Ive tossed almost all of my jalapeños the past 2 years.
 
I don't think much can be done now but here is what Im going to do moving forward based on the google...
 
Don't let fruit/veggies rot in the garden over the winter.
 
Apparently cherry peppers are the preferred thing for them so they say to plant a perimeter of them. Im not gonna do that.
 
Without using seven dust they say for a few weeks (I forget which weeks) you can cover the pepper pods with DE. There was a sprayer method where DE is mixed with water. Im gonna try that with FOOD GRADE DE.
 
From what Ive learned a specific type of fly "stings" the upper part of the fruit and lays eggs in it. The maggot eats its way to the bottom of the fruit and out.
 
You can see scars sometimes on the peppers as well as the entry wound. They gross me out so much I toss them if I see either.
 
Hope this helped and good luck.
 
I hate them! Ive tossed almost all of my jalapeños the past 2 years.
 
I don't think much can be done now but here is what Im going to do moving forward based on the google...
 
Don't let fruit/veggies rot in the garden over the winter.
 
Apparently cherry peppers are the preferred thing for them so they say to plant a perimeter of them. Im not gonna do that.
 
Without using seven dust they say for a few weeks (I forget which weeks) you can cover the pepper pods with DE. There was a sprayer method where DE is mixed with water. Im gonna try that with FOOD GRADE DE.
 
From what Ive learned a specific type of fly "stings" the upper part of the fruit and lays eggs in it. The maggot eats its way to the bottom of the fruit and out.
 
You can see scars sometimes on the peppers as well as the entry wound. They gross me out so much I toss them if I see either.
 
Hope this helped and good luck.

Yeah I just dusted with some DE, made myself a little shaker or if an old drink mix bottle. I'll have to try the spray instead next time, seems like it make better contact. Do you have a link for the source you read?
So a pyrethrum spray? When or how often?

I second this, and also as an alternative would granular pyrethrin work as well? That is so far the only stuff I've found here in Japan. Supposed to be take up into the plant and kills pests that eat it.
 
I can't find the site now. Pretty sure I googled organic pepper maggot control or something like that. I wanna say it was 2 tbsp in a gallon but that seems light. I guess there is like a 3 week period where these guys do their business.
 
I have this issue too. My White Fatalii's are all contaminated. I think these are called Pepper Weevil's. Is it possible to save the remaining peppers I have or should I just do better with Insecticides next grow season? Can I still attempt to over winter this plant?
 
From what I read if you pull any pods off and shake off ALL of the soil in the root ball and replace with fresh Id think you'd be OK. Just my guess. Clean up any rotten fruit left in your garden before winter to help with next year.
 
You might also consider companion planting the opposite way, instead of something they like more, something that repels them.  Personally I'm partial to growing herbs then there is something more for me to eat too.  Currently I have lavender, cilantro/coriander, dill.  I have seen no worms on my peppers, although monarch butterflies seem to like laying eggs on the dill and the lavender did nothing to repel a couple horn worms on a tomato plant 2' away.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pest-repelling_plants
 
I might have to step up the companion planting this next season. We'll see. I have a problem keeping the companions short though. This year I had some basil planted near my tomatoes and some peppers, and the basil plants just took off.
 
^  herbs are great for container growing, even a tiny container can grow a lot.
 
Before it was warm enough to risk putting my peppers outside for the season I managed to grow a lot of baby dill in some of the space and pots later used for peppers.  That's not one plant per pot pictured, it's hundreds of baby plants per pot.  Having so much extra seed I got a lot to harvest in 2 and a half weeks and put some magnesium back into the soil, now just grow less so I have some fresh available.
 
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Ive not seen the adult in my gardens over the years and I know the maggots come from either a specific fly or a weevil. The maggots I think look the same. I know the maggot fly version is mostly a north east US thing, I think the weevil is more widespread. So honestly I don't know what I get but its always a cream/white maggot with a brownish tip/head. I now look for the entry hole and any egg/scars.
 
Again...they suck, tossed another ripe red mucho nacho jalapeño an hour ago. I now have 3 of these peppers in my freezer from 2 plants ALL SEASON!

Ill try to post some pics if I'm lucky enough to find another in the next few weeks before the season ends here.
 
Ok folks here we go. Went to my garden today to start closing down for the season (an odd season at that).
 
One red ripe mucho nacho jalapeño on my 2 plants and of course..... garbage.
 
Here are a few pictures for those who might be interested and hope it helps out others.
 
These pics are all the same pepper, first 3 of exterior damage. Holes and scars. I think the holes which are at the top are where mama stung in her eggs and the lower scars are where the maggot exits. 
 
Then you will see the mess left behind. Its late season now so I didn't see a maggot inside as it probably exited by now.
 

 

 

 

 
Nice huh?
 
Enjoy your weekend!
 
I caught the culprit in one of my baccatum fruit the other day. It was a big ole fruitworm that had exited one pod and was in the process of burrowing in another. It died.
 
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Works for most pests that like to eat plants. Its an organism that attacks their digestive tract so they die before doing too much damage. You can get it in liquid form from most garden shops and you spray it on the plant every other week, more often during rainy periods. Works great for most vegetables and washes off easily when harvesting.
 
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