My plum trees are in blossom and my pear trees' blossoms are at the plump cluster stage. There is a black "fly" (approximately 0.5 inches in length [1.25 cm] and 0.125 inches wide [3 to 4 mm] with a single pair of pronounced black veined transparent wings folded straight back over its rear untapered section feeding on the blossoms. The insects have an elongated proboscus like sucker into the center of the open blossoms and, on the pear blossom clusters, appear to be feeding through the unopened petals. On one pear blossom cluster, I removed six such insects. Examination of the insects legs and underside shows no visible attached pollen.
Any possible names for this critter and if a problem, suggestions for organically dealing with them. I live on rural property with numerous P. emarginata that are also in bloom. Is this some cross-over situation where domestic offerings are sweeter than the wild?
Additionally, I noticed that some of the buds on the scion of a top-worked and grafted extant apple tree were eaten out. On one occasion, I found, examined and then squashed a greyish caterpillar (thin and about 0.75 inches in length [2 cm.] with its face into a bud. For lack of a better term, I call them "budworms". It appears to be a problem only on this single tree (at least as far as I can tell) as none of my other top worked grafts or bare-root grafts have been so eaten.
I will appreciate any and all information regarding these "beasties".
Thanks
You’ve not registered a location; but I’d suggest taking, or mailing some of those bugs to an Extension Service agent. I’ll assume, with all the massive budget cuts, there’s still such a thing? Are they doing damage, or just unusual?
There are also some good pest books; one of my favorite is put out by Ortho. It’s great for IDing, and even gives ‘organic’ solutions – along with chemicals.
And if you find out what they are – post a name, and I’ll try to find (and post) a photo. I’m ‘rural,’ too. A friend from Portland once commented that I’m so far from civilization the bugs go back three stages on the evolutionary scale… I still smile at that when I find a weird one, 
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“I noticed that some of the buds on the scion of a top-worked and grafted extant apple tree were eaten out.â€
That I’ve dealt with! Place some “Tanglefoot†around the base of the scion, below the buds – that will stop anything that got there by crawling. If they’re landing, I’ve heard of people placing open-bottomed (or ‘opening down’) zip-lock lunch bags over the scions… I’ve never done that, and would consider it a last resort - but it sound’s like you’ve got crawlers, not flyers.
…and the Tanglefoot’s good to have around; I’ve graduated from tubes, to tubs, to ‘calking gun’ tubes! Great stuff to ring your trunks with and stop the ants that tend the aphids. http://www.biconet.com/traps/Tanglefoot.html
I have had problems with BUD MOTH in the past and it sounds simular to what you are experiencing.
It seems to be worse on newly grafted buds, than on established trees. I now spray all my new grafts with NEEM oil. The growers in this area (Salem OR) use a product called INTREPID.
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