Q: We recently came back to Tucson from a week in San Diego to find about a hundred or more June bugs on our mature fig tree. We have lived here for over 20 years and this has never happened before. Is there any reason the bugs would be swarming on the figs at this time? Is there any safe way to get rid of them?
A: These insects are attracted to ripe figs and other fruit. They feed on the juice as adults and live in the soil as grubs. Often they attack fruit that has been damaged by birds pecking holes. We occasionally have a large population of beetles and they don’t always show up on the same plants each year.
There are some organic pesticides you can use but they are not very effective against the adult beetles. In addition, since there are so many of them, you can’t get them all and they fly away when you try. I suggest picking the fruit if it is ripe and protecting it with bags if it is not ready to be picked and you plan to eat it.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu
