Surround and Apple Maggot Fly (AMF)

Yesterday I sprayed Surround on my Liberty tree, which is one of the few trees that are fully loaded this year. Hence these will be the apples for keeping. The maggot flies have started to come out now, as I have seen a few. I wonder by how much Surround may decrease the maggot damage? I also have some Liberty apples in another tree, unsprayed, so this could give me an indication as to the efficiency of the spray.

Jolicoeur Orchard
Zone 4 in Quebec



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2012 01:18PM by Michael Phillips.

Surround will actually kill adult AMF. That's quite different from how kaolin clay works as a "push and pull" repellent for curculio. The fact that coverage needs to be thick and maintained for a month or more while a particular variety is on the AMF radar means there will be considerable clay residue when the fruit get harvested. AMF is first drawn to summer apples in late June through mid-July, then moves on to midseason varieties in late July through August, with any late emerging flies drawn to the winter keepers in September.

Want to ressurect this old thread. The apple set is small this year due to a late frost during bloom. Is Surround control for Apple Maggot Fly still effective if used as a spot spray? To save time and Surround I have been spraying only where there are apples - some trees literally just have a few apples on them. Or does the Surround need to cover the whole tree?

Colin Lundy
Colonial Inn Orchard
North Gower, Ontario
Zone 5a (Canada)
Zone 3b (USDA)