Figs are among the fruit trees that have been used and even cultivated in bulk by man since ancient times and long before the creation of civilizations.
Now there are many pests that can affect and rot these products if not avoided.
You might ask how to avoid pest and store dried figs in bulks, here are some information that will help you to avoid pests in dried figs.
Fig fruit is one of the most nutritious and popular fruits from mid-summer to autumn.
Although figs are in most cases grown as part of other orchards, special fig orchards with large areas have also been established in recent years, and its industrial cultivation and harvesting has also flourished.
Figs are used fresh and dried, and for this reason they are attacked by various factors, including various pests, both in the garden and in the warehouse.
The importance of preserving figs is very important due to the relatively long ripening time of the fruits of this tree.
It is also important to properly store it in the warehouse to prevent colonization and damage by warehouse pests.
In this article, we will present the most important pests of figs.
The dried fruit moth is actually a willow with the scientific name Simaethis nemorana that damages figs in the larval stage.
These parasites are mainly present on leaves and cause damage to the leaf parenchyma, but may also be limited to fruit in later generations or under conditions of high abundance.
This parasite is monophage, which means it only attacks figs.
The adult insect of this pest is small, fan-shaped and has brown wings.
The larvae are also milky in color and feed on leaf parenchyma.
After the larvae feed, the venous region and lower leaf cuticle remain and give the leaf a reticulate shape.
The larvae migrate to the reverse side of the leaves to pupate and, weaving a cocoon around themselves, make the leaves look like tubules.
This pest can have several generations in different regions, and a high population of this insect can cause up to 50% damage to fig orchards.
On other fruit trees, mites are usually classified in the second or third category of harmful pests, but in the case of figs, the situation is different, and mites are considered one of the most important pests.
Among the mites that infect figs, Eriophide mites and tartan mites are among the most harmful mites.
Feeding on cell sap and leaf parenchyma, these mites cause pale spots with a burnt appearance to appear on the leaves.
With more damage, the leaves may look dirty, curled, and eventually withered.
These organisms sometimes make connections between different parts of the plant by weaving very fine threads and spreading rapidly.
