Hi Folks,
I have been seeing a few insects like this one on my apple trees of late. This one has orange stripes but there is another very similar that has white stripes. I believe I saw this one and the other one mating in the tree this morning. The white striped beetle was too shy to pose for the camera so I could not get a picture of it but I am guessing it was the female and this guy is the male. Does anyone recognize this critter? Is this a threat to my apple trees?
Thanks.
It sure looks like a Diaprepes abbreviatus weevil. The two different colors (white, orange) are apparently natural variation rather than an aspect of gender dimorphism.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/.....ge?from=48
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.....bbreviatus
Edit: caseroj appears to be in the southeastern U.S., making Diaprepes even more likely.
Larry_G,
I think you are spot on. I reviewed the links you posted and it looks exactly like what I see on my apple trees. Now that I know what it is I can try to combat it. I have a lawn treatment program at home so I am hoping that will control the grub stage of this pest. I have a systemic pesticide that I can use but I would rather not do that unless I have to. I know everyone here likes to stick with organic control methods but I cannot think of any off hand that would work. Unfortunately for me I also have citrus in my home orchard and it would appear this bugger also likes to attack citrus. Thanks for the help in identifying it.
There are a lot of people in the HOS who don't use organic methods. Some use mostly organic methods and occasional non-organic. I think that the longer people in the NW have been orcharding, the more likely they are to use organic methods. That is just my fallible opinion and not any official position of the HOS.
John S
PDX OR
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
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