Olive fruit fly poses a serious threat to the California table olive and olive oil industries. Olives grown by homeowners for home curing or oil are equally at risk. A native of eastern Africa, it is considered the most damaging pest of olives in southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The olive fruit fly was first detected in North America infesting olive fruits on landscape trees in Los Angeles County in November 1998. It is now found in ornamental and many commercial orchards in coastal counties, most of the San Joaquin Valley, Napa and several Sacramento Valley and foothill counties.

The adult olive fruit fly is about 0.2 inch long with clear wings containing dark veins and a small dark spot at the wing tip. Larvae are yellowish white with a pointed head. Mature larvae pupate in fruit in summer; in fall they exit the fruit and pupate in the soil. In spring, early emerging adults lay eggs in unharvested fruit from the previous year's crop. Olive fruit flies that do develop in unharvested fruit from the previous year lay eggs on the new olive crop in July and August.

In areas of the world where olive fruit fly is established and not controlled, its damage has been responsible for losses of up to 80% of oil value because of lower quantity and quality. In table varieties the Olive Fruit Fly is capable of destroying 100% of the crop. Removing and destroying fruit left on the tree following harvest is somewhat important in managing this pest. Examine fallen fruit in late winter for the presence of olive fruit fly. Remove old fruit remaining on trees following harvest and destroy all fruit that are on the ground by either burying at least 12 inches deep.

Best control is obtained by using the Multi-lure Ball Trap w/torula yeast as the attractant. Flies enter de of t

Place traps in trees that have a good fruit load or in trees with an abundance of fallen fruit on the ground where larvae and pupae are expected to be present. Adult olive fruit flies can be identified in the traps by their single black spot at the tip of each wing.

Overwhelmed with the Eco-movement??

Do you want to do your part to help the environment but are confused with where to start?? Start small. You don't need to become a 'tree hugger', sell your SUV tomorrow and by an 'Element'.

It starts with small steps and looking at the big picture:

 What You Can Do For Our Environment??

• Are you recycling everything you can? Review what is going in the trash and make sure you can't add it to the recycle bin.
• If you are considering a new vehicle, consider a 'Hybrid' or a diesel that can burn 'bio-diesel'.
• Have a green thumb? Whether you have an acre or a backyard condominium, plant a vegetable/herb garden or planter.  
• Running a quick errand or work near your home? Get that bike out, grab your helmet and ride there and back. Do you drive to work? See if your city has a Park and Ride, take the bus (it's a clean air vehicle) or post a carpool note in your break room at work.
• Trade out your old light bulbs for the energy saving CFL bulbs (CFL means Compact Fluorescent Light). If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

What You Can Do For You

• Get up and get outside - breathe in the fresh air. Take 15 minutes during your day, get up from your work place, grab some fruit and walk outside. One apple has more energy than a cup of coffee.
• Take a yoga or Pilates class. Nothing helps your mind and body more. Walk or ride your bike to class for an extra bonus.
• Drink water!!!! An active person should drink ½ their body weight in water each day. For you mathematically deprived people that means if you weight 160 lbs you should drink 80 ounces of water daily. Give up the soda!!! Trade it for water. You'll feel so much better.

Peaches and Nectarines

December is the month to begin your dormant spraying program. At the time your Peach and Nectarine trees drop approximately one half their leaves it's time to spray Lily Miller MicroCop with Sta Stuk. This early spray is the first line of defense against Peach Leaf Curl disease. Be sure to clean up all leaf droppings and spray the ground below the tree also. If you were busy in December and missed the first spray don't despair. Apply an application in January and if you had a serious problem this last year,  apply a third application in February. The final application should be made when the peach flowers are at two-thirds petal drop. (Do not use Sta Stuk when foliage or fruit buds are present  use Master Nursery Sure Grip Spreader Sticker.)

Spray a 'combination' spray as a preventative measure to control over wintering insects and fungal spores. For a combination spray, mix Lily Miller's Polysul and Master Nursery Pestfighter Year Round Spray Oil together. This is a great time saving way to complete your dormant spraying.

After you finish pruning you should spray your plants with Dormant Sprays. We are concerned with controlling over wintering insects and fungal spores. For a combination spray, mix Lily Miller's Polysul and Master Nursery Pestfighter Year Round Spray Oil together. This is a great time saving way to complete your dormant spraying.