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Black pear fruitlets and parasites?
ferow88
Posts: 5
Hi everyone,
This is my first post here and I’m hoping to get some help. The previous owner of my house planted a pear tree in the front garden, and after flowering in early spring, it started growing fruitlets (exciting!). However, I can see now that most of the fruitlets turned black and are very dry and hard on touch.
This is my first post here and I’m hoping to get some help. The previous owner of my house planted a pear tree in the front garden, and after flowering in early spring, it started growing fruitlets (exciting!). However, I can see now that most of the fruitlets turned black and are very dry and hard on touch.
Researching a bit online, I could see people talking about pear midge, but I tried crashing some of the black fruitlets and I can’t see any maggots.
Some leaves are chewed, more towards the bottom of the poor tree, and I could spot some snails around as well.
After careful inspection, I noticed that a couple of leaves had some black stuff on their back side, I picked them out and saw what looked like black seeds, except some of them were moving, so I’m guessing it’s some sort of parasites? Tiny black roundish things with legs.
I took a couple of pics of the affected leaves, although those things were teeny tiny, so I’m not sure how well you can see them.
Could they be the cause of the black fruitlets? Any solution for those and the snails?
Thank you very much in advance!
Some leaves are chewed, more towards the bottom of the poor tree, and I could spot some snails around as well.
After careful inspection, I noticed that a couple of leaves had some black stuff on their back side, I picked them out and saw what looked like black seeds, except some of them were moving, so I’m guessing it’s some sort of parasites? Tiny black roundish things with legs.
I took a couple of pics of the affected leaves, although those things were teeny tiny, so I’m not sure how well you can see them.
Could they be the cause of the black fruitlets? Any solution for those and the snails?Thank you very much in advance!
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Posts
I'm pretty confident the black insects are aphids - though it's hard to see them clearly in your photos. They suck the sap from leaves and may make them curl up, but aren't really anything to worry about; you can always blast them off with a hose if there are loads of them. They certainly shouldn't be the reason why the fruitlets are turning black.
Can you post a photo showing the fruitlets? Apple and pear trees often produce a huge amount of blossom, and a lot of the tiny fruits aren't properly fertilised and just fall off. Then more will be jettisoned in the "June drop". However, black pear fruitlets can mean pear midge... and it could be that the maggots inside aren't sufficiently developed yet for you to be able to find them... but hopefully it's not that. As I said, a photo might help us to help you.
Thanks so much for your answer and welcome!
I will leave the aphids be for now as long as they don’t become an infestation!
I will try to take some pictures of the black fruitlets tomorrow and post them, so you can see how they are.
In the meantime, thanks for the insight!
I'm wondering if @pansyface is about at the moment. She's very knowledgeable about fruit trees.
Anyway, thanks for your help! I’ll wait for some more insight!
Have a look at this info from the RHS
https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/pear-midge
I have to smile since the RHS has added 'biodiversity' to all the pests that infest out plants
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.