# Bugs on citrus fruit



## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I've got a Republic of Texas Orange and a Awari Satsuma. This is the first year for fruit on both. They both have black pock marks on the fruit. My local feed store says it is black flies (maybe white flies can't remember which). I asked what I could do to prevent it next year and he recommended Malathion. My perception is that is pretty strong medicine.
Anyone have other ideas?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

You sure its white flies? Reason I ask is they are very visible when active. Clouds of the little buggers around the plants sucking the life out of them. I had a bad infestation of them on gardenia bushes once in a previous life.

Man, they were tough to get under control. It took repeated spraying of Malathion to do the trick. I tried insecticidal soap but that was ineffective. 

Not much help...but those buggers are tough to get rid of, if its white flies.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Season to season it can vary........

Question- was it just on the fruit this year or did they hang around in the spring and summer and get established?


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I guess they could have been around earlier in the year. I didn't see them though.
Am I right in thinking that Malathion is pretty "hot" but doesn't last long?


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

redexpress said:


> I guess they could have been around earlier in the year. I didn't see them though.
> Am I right in thinking that Malathion is pretty "hot" but doesn't last long?


I wouldnt use it....but hey that's me

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-Background_vq3001.htm

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=520&tid=92

Generally when there is a crazy amount of bugs it's an imbalance of something ....tree in stress, over use of syenthtic fertilizers, and so on.....


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## Ready.Fire.Aim (Sep 22, 2009)

Are the black marks on the peel or actually inside on the fruit?

If the fruit is ok & tastes good but peel is cosmetically damaged, just ignore it.

I grow over a dozen citrus varieties ( and many other fruit types) without any chemical sprays. Including Owari satsuma you mentioned.

Fruit tastes great but doesn't look like supermarket citrus.

Look at this web page and try to identify it.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpfruitdis.html

If you can post a photo we will help you.

I wouldn't start randomly spraying malathion. Whiteflies will rebound in staggering numbers. Also Malathion is an insecticide, you may have a fungal disease that it won't manage.

Have fun
RFA


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

redexpress said:


> I guess they could have been around earlier in the year. I didn't see them though.
> Am I right in thinking that Malathion is pretty "hot" but doesn't last long?


I've read it has a half life of 17 days in the soil. Also, it is rated as "low toxicity" to humans. I guess "low" is better than "high" but still needs to be used judiciously.

It is a last resort tool for me...and I almost never use it on garden plants. I find it is very effective in controlling web worms in trees which I have a lot of around here.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I'll get a pic soon.


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

I've always been told don't use malathion on anything you're gonna eat and to use diazinon instead. I've gone the insecticidal soap route on whiteflies and it seems to work for a few weeks, but they rebound fast.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I took 1 of the satsumas to the County Ag office. They weren't a lot of help, couldn't say for sure if it was birds, bugs, or fungus. Suggested using orange oil. But they did give me a book on vegetables & citrus after we shared eating the sample fruit.
I'll get a pic on here.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Here you go. So far whatever it is has only gotten inside one fruit. It was just a couple segments that were bad. I ate the rest of it. 
When talking to the Ag office they said I may want to pick the fruit when it just starts to turn color and let them ripen in the house. Y'alls opinion?
And.....I planted my tomatoes a couple weeks too late. I've got a bunch of green ones and letting some of them ripen inside. I covered them when we had frost, so they still are looking OK. Liberty county.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

I prefer Sevin (carbamate) over malathion if I have to use anything that potent--the odor of malathion makes me sickly after getting an OD exposure of parathion years ago in the cotton patch. Much prefer organic methods. Wonder about adding some garlic, cayenne pepper, or both to the soap solution? But I think whiteflies are like liberal politicians--here to stay.


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## TerryM (Apr 19, 2005)

That's bird damage. Gackle's are really bad about it.
Happen's in the summer time with the fruit still green. You just don't notice it until the fruit color's up.


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## TerryM (Apr 19, 2005)

Here's a shot of a lemon and a cara cara orange with bird damage.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I think you're right. I have seen gackles in the yard and on the trees. 
Any thing to keep them away? Foil pie pans on a string? Surveyor tape on a stake?


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## alien750 (May 21, 2010)

Check out this article I found while researching this same issues on my oranges for the last 2 years. I originally thought it was birds also, but then I found this and this looks to have nailed it. I guess I will see next year after I do the spring treatment.

http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2014/12/what_are_these_brown_spots_on.html


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## Reality Czech (Jul 17, 2004)

alien750 said:


> Check out this article I found while researching this same issues on my oranges for the last 2 years. I originally thought it was birds also, but then I found this and this looks to have nailed it. I guess I will see next year after I do the spring treatment.
> 
> http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2014/12/what_are_these_brown_spots_on.html


This.
I use Bordeaux Mix (has copper)



> When talking to the Ag office they said I may want to pick the fruit when it just starts to turn color and let them ripen in the house. Y'alls opinion?


I leave mine on the tree till I'm ready to eat them. Once they are picked them seem to desiccate fast.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Well, I think next year I'll rig up a net over the trees and spray like described. 
Thanks for all the help.


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## PHINS (May 25, 2004)

Bird damage.


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## TexasVines (Jan 5, 2012)

if you have white flies use the malathion it is very safe when used properly

http://www.ccc.ca.gov/emer/HistoricalResponse/Pages/pestinfestations.aspx

malathion is what is aerial sprayed in California for med flies and that is OVER POPULATED CITIES

that does not mean you need to drink it like the guy on the link did, but it is a very safe pesticide

also ad for copper sulfate.....it is organic, but it will knock you down and hurt you as bad as anything out there so while I would say use it that is one of the falsehoods of "organic" is that "organic means safe" when nothing can be further from the truth

copper sulfate, and sulfur fungicides will knock you down if used improperly. but if used properly they are great.....just like a lot of "non-organic" pesticides


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I talked to a citrus nursery owner at the master gardener sale at Bear Creek Park. He said it is fungus, use a copper fungicide and spray the fruit every 2-3 weeks.


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