What's eating my violette de bordeaux fig?

Violette de Bordeaux fig faces threats from fig beetles, birds targeting ripe fruit, gopher damage to roots, and spider mites in hot dry summers. The biggest practical problem for most growers is birds stripping ripe figs before harvest. Netting fruit clusters and monitoring for root gopher activity are the headline defenses.

Ripe figs are pecked open or entirely removed from the tree, often targeting the sweetest, darkest fruit first Drape fine-mesh bird netting over branches when fruit begins to color; reflective tape as a deterrent has limited effect on persistent birds

Adult beetles bore into ripe and overripe figs, leaving mushy, fermenting cavities; damage accelerates fruit spoilage Harvest figs promptly when ripe; bag individual clusters with paper or mesh bags in late summer; remove dropped fruit from the ground

Fine stippling on leaves turning bronzed or silvery, with tiny webbing on leaf undersides; worsens in hot dry spells Spray leaf undersides with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; ensure adequate irrigation to reduce heat stress

Roots are gnawed underground, causing sudden wilting or death of established trees; mounds appear around the base Install gopher wire baskets at planting; use traps placed in active tunnels; hardware cloth root guards for container specimens