By: Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Outreach Specialist

Major insect and fungal pests can cause damage to your apples. In this video, you will learn about the major insect and fungal pests, how their life cycle influences management techniques, and several practices that you can use to help you be successful growing apples.

There are four major pests that damage apples in Wisconsin: plum curculio, codling moth, apple maggot, and apple scab. By understanding the identifying features of each pest, their life cycle, and their impact on fruit, homeowners can utilize a variety of strategies to manage these pests and prevent damage to fruit. These include using insecticides properly, trapping, and cultural practices such as pruning and removing fallen fruit. The timing of your pest control method is crucial to prevent larva from entering the fruit and causing damage.

Identification, Management and Control of Major Apple Pests (Link to YouTube)

Additional information about growing apples in Wisconsin can be found at the following resources: UW-Madison Fruit Program
https://fruit.wisc.edu