What's eating apple tree leaves

[vister]

I have little yellow flies in my apple trees. Are they responsible for the holes in the leaves? Any help on identifying this little fly would be awesome. Thanks 

[Dotch]

With no pics of the damage, it's a little tough to say what's causing it. Doubtful as flies generally produce maggots and maggots generally need to be on the inside of something or in damp conditions to keep their bodies moist. Otherwise they tend to desiccate rapidly Have included a couple links to potential leaf eaters. Hope this helps.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/apple-pest-management/

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/fruit/apple/leavesholes.html

 

[delcecchi]

Apple maggots are the larvae of a fly that make little brown tracks in the apple and cause it to be lumpy and misshapen.

Spray with Sevin added to normal fruit spray.  Malathion isn't very effective against them.  Don't use the Sevin too early or the apples will fall off. 

If all else fails, try the 'ask a question"

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/ask/

Edited July 8, 2016 by delcecchi

[Dotch]

Apple maggots attack the fruit not the leaves. There are some leaf miners that occasionally will attack leaves but they don't make holes as such, rather little tunnels that are between the leaf surfaces and show up as little trails when looking at the leaf, especially when holding them up to a light source such as the sun. A little tough to gauge the size and dimension from the photo but that appears to possibly be one of several fruit fly species. Had I thought it was an apple maggot fly, I would've posted this:

 http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/apple-pest-management/maggot/

There is a nice pest management schedule for the home orchard as part of the first link I posted. 

[RebelSS]

The apples at Walmart north have fruit flies buzzing around them....maybe they should spray them? 

[delcecchi]

1 hour ago, Dotch said:

Apple maggots attack the fruit not the leaves. There are some leaf miners that occasionally will attack leaves but they don't make holes as such, rather little tunnels that are between the leaf surfaces and show up as little trails when looking at the leaf, especially when holding them up to a light source such as the sun. A little tough to gauge the size and dimension from the photo but that appears to possibly be one of several fruit fly species. Had I thought it was an apple maggot fly, I would've posted this:

 http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/apple-pest-management/maggot/

There is a nice pest management schedule for the home orchard as part of the first link I posted. 

I just posted about apple maggots because you mentioned them. 

[Dotch]

Sorry del. Was addressing the fact the OP mentioned holes in leaves. My IPM background tends to make me bristle when it comes to applying pesticides and in particular insecticides improperly timed without a target species present, hence my mention of the pesticide schedule. We're looking at some potential major problems controlling soybean aphids as a result of people ignoring those two things in particular. It may result in the loss of whole families of chemistry that were once effective for their control. Once upon a time, I thought it was no big deal, wouldn't happen. After all these years, it's becoming a game of Russian roulette.

[delcecchi]

When I was still spraying my few trees in the back yard, I did it by the calendar.  Us little guys really can't do IPM.  I could barely get them sprayed every couple weeks as it was.  

[smurfy]

On ‎7‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 10:28 AM, RebelSS said:

The apples at Walmart north have fruit flies buzzing around them....maybe they should spray them? 

staying away from Walmart would help too!!!!!!!

[RebelSS]

10 minutes ago, smurfy said:

staying away from Walmart would help too!!!!!!!

I heard the real reason you don't like Walmart is because on yer first day as a part time greeter, they had to keep dragging you out of produce because you kept hollering at the women to "grab this banana!!" 

[smurfy]

nope....they kicked me out for wearing my PROUD TO BE A UNION MEMBER t-shirt!!!!!!!!!!

back on topic.......... dang you Reb!!!!!! I often thought of getting an apple tree but at this point i'd probably never see results!!

[RebelSS]

Mine is lovely. 

[delcecchi]

16 hours ago, smurfy said:

nope....they kicked me out for wearing my PROUD TO BE A UNION MEMBER t-shirt!!!!!!!!!!

back on topic.......... dang you Reb!!!!!! I often thought of getting an apple tree but at this point i'd probably never see results!!

You would get apples in maybe 3 years.  Just pick one for zone 3 if in itasca.   Plant a dwarf/semi-dwarf tree.  Actually, plant two or three for best pollination. 

Put a hardware cloth fence around the trunk to keep varmints from eating the bark off in the winter. 

Edited July 11, 2016 by delcecchi

[smurfy]

currently not having an issue getting locally grown apples so not t interested rigt now. it would be in cold spring, but I do know of an apple tee out in the ast country of Itasca cunty!!!!!!!!!!

[RebelSS]

Del, he IS a dwarf!!!!!!! 

[smurfy]

24 minutes ago, RebelSS said:

Del, he IS a dwarf!!!!!!! 

dont you belong locked up in the cookin thread??????????????