BFF : TO GOOD TO BE TRUE ???

Fig Gazer

Well-known member
OF my many exparaments to slow down BFF infestation one thing i have been trying is black bird netting (around 3/4 " squares) the kind they sell at home depot . THE THERY is BFF flys with a rapid zig -zag flight pattern and never shows up caught in spider webs ! So they will not pass thru this very large mesh ,either abdaptation to avoid spiders or because there flight pattern makes it difficult without collision with netting? EITHER WAY IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING !!! I PUT TWO POTTED TREES INSIDE A 6' X 6' X6' PVC PIPE BOX COVERED IN BIRD NETTING AND HAD NO MAGOT INFESTATION ,ALSO WRAPED TWO INGROUND TREES (SMITH & WHITE MARSALIES ) AND HAD NO MAGOT INFESTATION ! THIS NEXT TO TREES DROPING HUNDREDS OF MAGOT INFESTED FIGS! NOT ONLY THAT BUT BIRD NETTING DOES NOT CAUSE HUMIDITY SPOILAGE, SUN BLOCKING ETC. AND FIGS RIPEN NORMALY AND VERY BIRD /CRITTER RESISTANT AS A BONUS . NEED MORE RESULTS FROM MORE TREES AND MORE DIFFERENT ORCHARDS BEFORE I DECLARE VICTORY . MAY JUST BE A FLASH IN THE PAN /FOOLS GOLD ???
 
OF my many exparaments to slow down BFF infestation one thing i have been trying is black bird netting (around 3/4 " squares) the kind they sell at home depot . THE THERY is BFF flys with a rapid zig -zag flight pattern and never shows up caught in spider webs ! So they will not pass thru this very large mesh ,either abdaptation to avoid spiders or because there flight pattern makes it difficult without collision with netting? EITHER WAY IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING !!! I PUT TWO POTTED TREES INSIDE A 6' X 6' X6' PVC PIPE BOX COVERED IN BIRD NETTING AND HAD NO MAGOT INFESTATION ,ALSO WRAPED TWO INGROUND TREES (SMITH & WHITE MARSALIES ) AND HAD NO MAGOT INFESTATION ! THIS NEXT TO TREES DROPING HUNDREDS OF MAGOT INFESTED FIGS! NOT ONLY THAT BUT BIRD NETTING DOES NOT CAUSE HUMIDITY SPOILAGE, SUN BLOCKING ETC. AND FIGS RIPEN NORMALY AND VERY BIRD /CRITTER RESISTANT AS A BONUS . NEED MORE RESULTS FROM MORE TREES AND MORE DIFFERENT ORCHARDS BEFORE I DECLARE VICTORY . MAY JUST BE A FLASH IN THE PAN /FOOLS GOLD ???
@Fig Gazer Does mosquito/bug netting the entire tree not work? I think it causes minimal light loss and humidity/heat increase. Plus, the fig won’t grow through it making it very easy to put on and take off. Just a thought. I do this with some of my other trees, but not the figs.
 
Wow, never expected that!! Congratulations! :)

I use bird nettings for the blackberries and sometimes on figs. It is good to deter birds and rats, and sometimes even squirrels and skunks. I never expect that to work on those small flies.

A friend use Tulle fabric to build enclosures, which seem to do a pretty good job in blocking most things. The fabric lasts 2-3 seasons in the north.

I found smarter animals tend to do the path of least resistance thing. I put clamshells on some fruits to deter rats. And they learnt clamshells to be difficult from the traps (I also use half shell to cover the traps to slow them down). As a result, my traps stopped working. I was thinking about why and took the half shell off the traps. Sure enough, the traps were back to work and caught the rats.
 
That's awesome news so far, very cool that you remain vigilant in this battle.
I don't really see anyone else posting too much on their efforts.
 
OTHERS have posted succes with blue painters tape over ostials aplied early and re aplied as needed . CAPTAIN JACKS DEAD BUG aplied to ostial for non organic folks has been seen to work .EARLY USE of fine mesh net in areas of low humidity and lots of air flow will work . natural sents and oils not shure if they work ? Anyway some BFF posts have been made claiming positive results ,now is the time for evaluation realative to edible ripe infeststion free figs !
 
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