What's eating my opal plum?

Opal plum, which ripens early in August, is targeted by plum moth, aphids, and wasps as soon as the fruit colours. Silver leaf disease often enters through pest-caused wounds. Plum moth is the dominant insect pest — pheromone trap monitoring combined with spinosad sprays gives the best protection for this early variety.

Pink larvae bore to the stone; entry hole plugged with frass; infected fruit drops early or is inedible at harvest. Hang pheromone traps by late May; apply spinosad at first adult catch and repeat after three weeks; destroy all windfalls.

Tightly curls young shoot tips, stunting spring growth; populations build rapidly in cool springs. Pyrethrin or insecticidal soap at bud burst before leaves curl and shelter the colony.

Excavates ripe flesh from August onwards; wounds attract secondary rot and make fruit unsaleable. Wasp traps baited with sugary liquid; harvest promptly; collect windfalls every day.

Shreds blossom and young foliage in spring, reducing fruit set; damage can be severe in years of high moth emergence. Sticky grease bands on trunks from October; Bacillus thuringiensis spray at bud burst.