BAGGED FRUIT - FRUIT FLY AND BIRD PROTECTION
The Verdict Is In - Well, Half In
A couple of months ago, most of the fruit of the peach and apricot tree were covered in either cloth or white paper bags, to see if they were as effective in protecting the fruit as promised.
All bagged fruit was left untouched by birds and flying foxes and was free of splitting caused by the recent rains. Most of the fruit left unbagged was badly split allowing easy access for insects and bacteria. However, neither bagged or unbagged fruit had been affected by fruit fly so we'll just have to compare the difference with the peaches as they still have at least another 6 weeks till they are ripe when fruit fly are more prevalent. Another plus was that if the fruit fell it stayed inside the bag safe from marauding birds, slugs and slaters.
Update: Some fruit was damaged by birds pecking through the fabric as the fruit could be seen. Fruit in white paper bags was not affected.
Needless to say the fruit is delicious and the photo pictures fruit that has just had their bag removed. So far we favour the fine cloth bags over the paper as they allow you to see the fruit inside the bag and can be tailor made to suit the crop. The Pestguard fabric used is available from Green Harvest. They said the fabric was not suitable for fruit trees and maybe that is because it is so fine? It is more suited to covering vegetables but for us, the fabric worked well. Maybe a heavier fabric is required in areas of heavy fruit fly activity.
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bers of the crow family. The Channel-billed Cuckoo chicks do not throw out the host's chicks or eggs as do many other cuckoos. The Channel-billed Cuckoo chicks just out grow and out eat the smaller chicks of the host. A pair of these shy cuckoos have been enjoying the fruits of our shatoot mulberry which has produced a bountiful crop this season (pictured left). A sound file of its call can be enjoyed here.
