Pest status of American plum borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and fruit tree borer control with synthetic insecticides and entomopathogenic nematodes in New York State.

Surveys were conducted in 1994 and 1995 to determine the pest status of the American plum borer, Euzophera semifuneralis (Walker), in New York State stone fruit crops. These surveys indicate that American plum borer is the most important of the wood-boring insects infesting tart cherries and also is an important pest in peaches suffering from canker diseases. It is not prevalent in plums or in healthy peaches. Trials to control American plum borer were conducted in tart cherry and peach by using chlorpyrifos, esfenvalerate, and 2 commercially available formulations of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar). Two applications of chlorpyrifos, timed at petal fall and at the beginning of the 2nd flight, effectively controlled the pest. One application of chlorpyrifos applied at petal fall did not provide effective season-long control, except where numbers were very low. Programs using 1 (petal fall) or 3 applications of esfenvalerate were ineffective. Control by either nematode formulation was insignificant.