Apple Maggot Control

Situation: Apple Maggot Infestation

This pest threatens all fruit trees: pear, apple, asian pear, and quince. All pome fruit is affected and will be useless if no level of control is achieved.

The Horticultural Pest Control Board has developed an effective program designed to protect both commercial orchards and the homeowner’s fruit tree investment.

Detection

To detect the current level of apple maggot infestation, traps are monitored on apples trees within a 1/2 -mile radius of a commercial orchard. Traps are monitored by the Skagit County Horticultural Pest Control Coordinator and WSDA.

Map of Commerical Orchards and Homeowners Monitored for Apple Maggot (1 MB)

Traps are available for purchase at the WSU Skagit County Extension office for any home owner’s use. Upon a home owner’s request, the Pest Coordinator will assist in monitoring backyard orchards or trees.

For more information, see:

• How to Use Apple Maggot Traps
• EB1928: Protecting Backyard Apple Trees from Apple Maggot
• Help Save Skagit Apples

Prevention

What Must Be Done?

For the homeowner:

• Pick up and dispose of fallen apples in the trash – DO NOT COMPOST!!!
• Fallen apples can be fed to livestock if desired.
• Fallen apples can be stored over winter in durable black lawn bags – make sure the bags are tied tightly to prevent the maggot spreading to the soil, let the sun bake them, roll the bags often, let them freeze over winter, then the following spring they can be used to spread as compost.

For the commercial orchardist:

• Stay in touch with the Skagit County Horticultural Pest Control Coordinator.
• If one apple maggot is detected within an orchard, the orchard is put under quarantine – meaning that the apples cannot leave Skagit County.
• If one apple maggot is detected within a 1-mile radius of the orchard, the apples are put on threatened status – meaning that in order for the apples to leave Skagit County they have to be inspected by the WSDA at the expense of the orchardist.