Question
QUESTION: I have had several pieces of fruit that something has bored a hole about the size of a pencil into the fruit.  They then eat out the inside.  I did notice that there was a lot of little white flying insects in the tree.  I purchased some Seven in a concentrated form and sprayed the trees.  I don't seem to have the little white flying insects anymore.  Do you know what those little white flying insects are and were they doing the damage to the fruit.  How often should I spray them.

ANSWER: Hi Joe,

I have had several pieces of fruit that something has bored a hole about the size of a pencil into the fruit. SOMETIMES THEY ARE FROM THE BRANCHES OF THE CITRUS TREE.

 They then eat out the inside. THAT IS FRUIT RATS THAT DO THAT.

 I did notice that there was a lot of little white flying insects in the tree.  I purchased some Seven in a concentrated form and sprayed the trees.  I don't seem to have the little white flying insects anymore.  Do you know what those little white flying insects are and were they doing the damage to the fruit.  How often should I spray them.  THOSE ARE CALLED WHITE FLIES AND I USE 100 PER CENT PURE NEEM OIL TO RID MY PLANTS OF INSECTS, SCALE, ETC.  IT IS ORGANIC AND KILLS NOTHING ALTERS THE TASTE SO BUGS GO ELSE WHERE, IT IS ALSO A FUNGICIDE AND A MITICIDE AND BUILDS UP OVER TIME GIVING YOU LESS AND LESS PROBLEMS WITH THE BUGS. ONCE APPLIED NEEM ONLY NEEDS TO BE SPRAYED ON THE NEW GROWTH.... ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A PLANT EVERY YEAR SPRAY IT SO YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.  KATHY

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I DON'T THINK IT IS THE BRANCHES THAT ARE MAKING THE HOLES BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE HANGING FRUIT.
I DON'T SEE HOW THE FRUIT RAT GETS INSIDE OF THE FRUIT AS THE HOLE IS ONLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PENCIL AND GENERALLY THE MEAT OF THE FRUI IS ALL EATEN AWAY.  THEY SEEM TO ENTER AT THE NAVAL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ORANGE.

Answer
Hi Joe, It is the only thing that I have ever heard of eating out a citrus and leaving it even on the tree and you pull it off and it is empty.  I checked the net in every combination to see if anyone else has that problem that they are reporting and I found nothing.  You could contact your local agriculture department and see if anyone else in the area has reported the same problem.  I live in Florida and things that occur in other areas may not occur here at least not yet.  kathy