Can anyone help me control carpophilus beetles in my peaches

[jonmcdowell]

I am trying to control carpophilus beetles in my stone fuit and fig crops. I practice good orchard sanitation but am surrounded by orange groves where fruit is on the ground much of the year. What I really would like is information on where I can purchase carpophilus bait and kill funnel traps and carpophilus phromones and poisons for those traps. Does anyone have this informations?

[cynthia_h]

I'd suggest calling your county extension program and asking to speak to a Master Gardener. All counties in California have (or so I've been told) a Master Gardener program available for free; they're staffed by trained and experienced volunteers.

I've looked in a couple of my books, but carpophilus beetles aren't mentioned by name in either of them.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[jonmcdowell]

Thanks for the response. I have tried that. But their help was limited. It seems that Australia is much further along in strategies for controlling this insect. Perhaps, they've had the problem longer. I probably should just contact the leading scientist in this area there, but was hoping someone in this country had the materials needed. I'm sure buying them from outside the country and even calling him (his preferred form of communication) would be more expensive.

[cynthia_h]

I did the requisite search via the Internet on “carpophilus beetles.â€

[jonmcdowell]

Thanks again for the response. It sounds like we have a common problem. Dr. Hossain is the person I contacted in Australia at Mofakhar.Hossain@dpi.vic.gov.au. He did respond but felt a follow-up phone call would be easier to pinpoint my needs. I've got an e-mail off to his associate Dr. Bartelt at bartelrj@mail.ncaur.usda.gov. But, so far it hasn't gone through. I do have his phone number 309 681 6237 but would rather start with e-mail. I'm wondering if either or both might want to demonstrate their products at The World Ag-Expo in Tulare, CA. This might be an angle where small customers could find out more and purchase their materials. I am determined to master this problem before the upcoming season. I lost about 20 percent of my crop last season and harvested much of my crop earlier than I would like due this problem. I do have a source for an organophosphate poison that I may purchase for my own crude traps this years.

Thanks again for the information. One of the web-sites is new for me. I will look into it and see if this helps me futher.

[jonmcdowell]

Follow-up: I have found a source for carpophilus traps and pheromones, www.greatlakesipm.com. It's listed under dusky sap beetles. I've caught somewhere between 100 & 200 so far. I'm hoping that this will control populations later.

[cynthia_h]

Good work!

Is there any possibility that the nearby orange groves, whose ground-lying fruit seems to be the incubator of these beetles, will institute better sanitation?

Cynthia