Pink Peach Trees and Worm Problems

Peach Tree Borers

• The Elberta peach tree (Prunus persica) is sometimes referred to as a pink peach tree because of the pink flowers that adorn it. Like all species of peach, the tree is susceptible to infestation from the peach tree borer and the lesser peach tree borer, two insects whose larvae look like worms and bore into the wood of the peach tree. They also make homes in nectarine, cherry, apricot and plum trees.

Identification

• The immature borer is a white worm with a brown head that reaches 1 inch in length at maturity, while the lesser borer worm is a bit smaller and holds a pink color. The adult moths resemble wasps, with the female moth claiming a blue hue and an orange stripe around her body. The male moth is smaller and has at least three yellow stripes around his torso, along with a set of clear wings.

Symptoms

• The worms overwinter and begin feeding on the branches and trunk of the peach tree in April, usually completing their feeding in June or July before transforming to adults in July or August to mate and lay eggs. The feeding of the pink peach tree worms causes a mass of gum to leak from the base of the trunk. This sticky mess includes wood chips, sawdust and frass -- excrement -- of the borer larvae.

Damage and Management

• Peach trees that have experienced drought or winter injury are most likely to be inhabited by the borer. A small infestation weakens the tree and damages fruit yield, while a large number of peach tree borers are capable of killing the specimen. Hand-picking the worms is an effective control measure for younger trees, while older larger peach specimens may require insecticide applications to the trunk and branches at least two to three times each summer.