Common Fruit Tree Pests in the Overberg — How to Identify, Prevent and Control Them Naturally

If you live in the Overberg, chances are you’ve got a few fruit trees tucked somewhere in your garden. Maybe it’s an old apricot that still bears each summer, or a young lemon that’s just starting to hold its fruit. Fruit trees are a gift; shade, pollinators, homegrown harvest. But they’re also magnets for pests.

The Western Cape’s mild winters and long, warm seasons mean that many insects don’t die off between crops. They cycle year-round, finding easy food and shelter in backyard orchards. And when fruit trees are stressed from drought, poor pruning, or shallow watering, they become even more vulnerable.

Below are the most common fruit tree pests found across the Overberg, from Hermanus to Grabouw to Bredasdorp, along with practical, environmentally responsible ways to manage them.

1. Scale Insects

What they look like: Small, round or oval bumps stuck to stems or the undersides of leaves, often mistaken for part of the bark.

What they do: Scale insects feed on sap, slowly weakening the tree. You’ll often notice sticky residue (honeydew) on leaves or black sooty mould that grows on top of it.

Left untreated, heavy infestations can cause leaf drop, poor fruiting, and dieback.

Common hosts in the Overberg: Citrus, figs, olives, plums, and ornamentals like camellias and wild olives.

Control options:

• Winter oil spray (dormant season): Apply horticultural or neem oil in late winter before buds break. It suffocates overwintering eggs.

• In-season control: Use insecticidal soap or neem oil, ensuring good coverage on leaf undersides and branches.

• Encourage predators: Ladybirds, lacewings, and parasitic wasps naturally keep scale in check. Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill these helpers.

Tip: If your tree is sticky underfoot, check for scale first.

2. Aphids

What they look like: Clusters of soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects, green, black, or brown, found on new shoots and undersides of leaves.

What they do: They suck the sap out of tender growth, causing curled leaves and distorted new shoots. Their sugary honeydew also attracts ants and promotes sooty mould.

Common hosts: Apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, and citrus. In spring, almost every fruit tree will see a few.

Control options:

• Blast with water: A strong spray from a hose often removes most aphids.

• Introduce or protect predators: Ladybirds, hoverflies, and lacewing larvae are voracious aphid eaters.

• Neem oil or insecticidal soap: Apply early in the morning to avoid burning foliage.

• Control ants: They farm aphids for honeydew, so breaking their pathways (with sticky barriers or tree wraps) helps reduce aphid pressure.

Local note: In the Overberg’s windy spring conditions, aphid infestations often flare on trees planted in sheltered courtyards or against north-facing walls where airflow is limited.

3. Fruit Flies

What they look like: Small, quick-moving flies that hover around ripening fruit. The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is the main culprit in the Western Cape.

What they do: Females puncture fruit skin to lay eggs. The larvae hatch inside and tunnel through the flesh, leaving soft, brown, rotting patches. By the time you notice it, the fruit is already unsalvageable.

Common hosts: Apricots, peaches, figs, guavas, citrus, plums, and even tomatoes.

Control options:

• Traps: Use baited fruit fly traps (commercial or homemade with vinegar and sugar water). Hang them before fruit ripens.

• Hygiene: Pick up all fallen and overripe fruit daily. Never leave damaged fruit on the ground.

• Bag or cover fruit: Fine mesh bags over developing fruit help prevent egg-laying.

• Timing: Monitor closely from late spring through early autumn, the Overberg’s warm valleys like Grabouw and Stanford are high-risk zones.

Tip: If your peaches are “mushy before they’re ripe,” you’re dealing with fruit fly larvae.

4. Codling Moth

What they look like: Tiny grey moths that emerge in spring evenings. You’ll rarely see them, the damage appears later inside your apples or pears.

What they do: The larvae bore into developing fruit, leaving a small entry hole and crumbly brown frass (droppings) near the stem end.

Control options:

• Pheromone traps: Hang them in early spring to catch males and monitor population levels.

• Bag fruit: Once fruit is marble-sized, cover with paper or mesh bags.

• Prune and thin properly: Open canopies allow air and sunlight to reduce pest buildup.

• Biological sprays: Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) or Spinosad can help control larvae without harming beneficial insects.

Local note: Codling moths thrive in cooler fruit-growing zones like Elgin, Greyton, and Villiersdorp, especially near old, unmanaged apple trees.

5. Caterpillars (Loopers, Leafrollers, and Cutworms)

What they look like: Various types of green or brown caterpillars.

Leafrollers spin leaves together with silk and feed inside the shelter; loopers move in a “looping” motion along twigs.

What they do: They chew leaves, buds, and occasionally the fruit surface. Heavy infestations can defoliate young trees and slow fruit development.

Control options:

• Hand removal: Check your trees early morning or evening, easiest time to spot them.

• BT (Bacillus thuringiensis): A biological control that targets caterpillars specifically.

• Birdlife: Encourage insectivorous birds (Cape white-eyes, weavers) by keeping trees diverse and avoiding chemical sprays.

• Prune and clean: Remove dead wood and rolled leaves where eggs hide.

Note: Caterpillars tend to peak in late spring when fruit trees flush new growth after pruning or rain.

6. Borers

What they look like: You rarely see the beetles themselves, only the sawdust-like frass (wood dust) around small holes in trunks or branches.

What they do: Borers tunnel into wood, disrupting water flow and weakening the structure. Over time, branches die back or whole trees decline. In the Overberg, one of the most destructive types is the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), an invasive beetle spreading through many towns, including Hermanus, Onrus, and Greyton.

Control options:

• Early detection: Look for weeping sap, frass, or “wet patches” on the bark.

• Remove and dispose responsibly: If PSHB is confirmed, affected branches or trees must be chipped and taken to a licensed site — never left on-site or used as firewood.

• Tree health: Healthy trees are less attractive to borers. Regular pruning, correct watering, and mulching reduce stress.

• Call a professional: For suspected PSHB cases, contact a qualified arborist familiar with current containment protocols (as per TreeCareSA and SANBI guidelines).

Important: Do not spray chemicals into holes. It’s ineffective and harms beneficial insects.

7. Mealybugs

What they look like: White, cottony masses on stems and leaf joints. Sticky residue and ants often accompany them.

What they do: Like aphids, they suck sap and weaken the plant. Heavy infestations cause leaf yellowing and distorted growth, especially on citrus and figs.

Control options:

• Rubbing alcohol: Dab small infestations with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

• Neem oil or soap sprays: Apply regularly until under control.

• Encourage predators: Ladybirds and lacewings feed on mealybugs.

• Ant management: Again, control ants to break the pest cycle.

Seasonal Pest Calendar for the Overberg

Season	Main Risks	Best Actions
Late Winter (Aug–Sept)	Scale, overwintering eggs	Apply dormant oil spray before bud break
Spring (Oct–Nov)	Aphids, caterpillars, fruit fly activity starts	Prune lightly, monitor young growth, set traps
Summer (Dec–Feb)	Fruit fly, codling moth, mealybugs	Harvest promptly, maintain trap rotation
Autumn (Mar–May)	Borers, late fruit fly surge	Remove fallen fruit, clean pruning wounds
Winter (Jun–Jul)	Low activity	Mulch, feed compost, inspect for damage

Keeping It Balanced: Healthy Trees Resist Pests

The best pest control is prevention. Healthy, well-managed trees naturally fend off insects.

Simple habits that go a long way:

• Prune correctly: Avoid topping or harsh cuts that leave stubs, they invite pests and decay.

• Water deeply: Shallow watering creates surface roots that dry out and stress the tree.

• Mulch properly: A 5–8 cm layer of wood chips or compost helps retain soil moisture and supports beneficial soil life.

• Clean tools: Disinfect pruning tools between trees to prevent spreading infestations or disease.

• Diversity: Mix fruit species with indigenous or flowering trees, it helps balance local ecosystems and attracts natural predators.

When to Call in Help

If your fruit trees are losing leaves out of season, producing deformed fruit, or showing dieback that doesn’t recover, it’s worth getting a professional inspection. An arborist can identify the pest correctly, assess the extent of damage, and recommend treatments that won’t harm beneficial insects or soil health.

Overberg Arborists’ team uses species-specific knowledge, sustainable methods, and proper disposal practices, especially when invasive pests like PSHB are suspected.

Need help with your fruit trees? Our team uses the right equipment, respects the biology of each species, and leaves zero mess behind.

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