Now What!?!?

[TorontoJoe]

I was walking the yard earlier and two of my trees (only two) have figs that look exactly like this on most of the tree. They are both first year trees and its sort of odd that they are on opposite sides of the house about as far away as they could be from each other on the property. Many trees in between..... The little yellowish bits flaked off easily, almost like something was boring into the fruit but cutting one open it didn't seem like whatever it was went below the surface. I don't even know if this is a bug or something else.

Does anyone have any idea what this is?

[Kid Fig]

Jesus. What is that?

Looks like some demon possessed bird desecrated your figs out of pure spite.

I'm not familiar with your area; are there reports of any invasive species of insect currently discovered up there?

[JLB]

Looks nasty bro I hope someone can identify the issue.

[TorontoJoe]

Right!?!?

[RosyPosy]

Ah, man! 😬 It looks kinda similar to fig rust, but really intense. And, I don’t know if it’s that being that your leaves don’t look like they have rust at all.

Fig rust pic for comparison:

[TorontoJoe]

The leaves are totally fine. Just the fruit. I've never even heard of rust on the fruit. Wow!

[cvarcher]

JOE!!! i have exactly that on my first year ST martin!!!! I thought the same some borer. But cutting it open and shallower cuts showed not past the skin. I think it is some form of Rust as my plant leaves have a medium amount of it. But many other plants have rust or FMV and dont show these blackish spots. I also seen that white crystal powder looking stuff coming from some of the black holes. Must be sugar I think. Waiting to hear from the older experts----PETE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[acerpictum]

A week ago, I found such damage on BrownTurkey and could not figure out the reason. Of about a hundred inflorescences, only one was affected by a pest or disease.

[ZingsFigs]

Yikes I hope you figure that out

[TNJed]

Looks like bug damage and that is dried up latex that seeped out from the damaged skin.

[iSFOfig]

Thank goodness the inside isn't as scary as the outside. I hope it is just a random insect or critter that is no longer in the yard.

[Kid Fig]

Japanese Beetles perhaps?

OR a "rival" here on the forums decided to pay your figs a visit for some sabotage action.

You can list them so the rest of us know. But switch the first letters of the names so as not to not tip them off.

For example: Fid Kig.

Pig Latin works as well.

[Figology]

Lisa S. No that’s too obvious. L. Simpson.

[MyDogMike]

I found the same thing on a single fig n my only in ground tree (an Unk Mt Etna) the other day. I didn’t investigate because it was only one fruit.

I will take a closer look here once the rain stops. I have noticed the regular garden pests are late this year. Maybe Japanese Beetles, maybe aphids, leaf hoppers…?

[Realtorbyday]

Wow, I'd be pretty upset. Especially since you can't really retaliate without an explanation.

[Miracle fruit]

I have the same thing on 2 ciccio nero and 2 Chicago Hardy. Never seen it before eighter and it looks nasty and it’s sticky to touch. I couldn’t find any bugs but I wonder if it could be weather related.

[eboone]

Stink bugs? I just started noticing them in my peaches and apples

[CeeFigs]

Just found this. I don't know if it would help. Good luck in finding out what this awful looking thing is.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42725246-diseases-of-the-fig-tree-and-fruit

[Tim]

I'm have experienced the same on two of mine. Looks like insect damage and noticed possible spidermites.

[CeeFigs]

https://youtu.be/DPWlrzdsdpM This video shows something similar. Unfortunately the only words that I can understand are fungal disease and fungal disease and fortnight.

[bullet08]

possibly.. ancient aliens? looks like some insect. if it was a rodent or other mammals, there should be a bite mark.

[Kid Fig]

It was Enoch.

Van Danikan told me so; also it was confirmed by Tsoukolous.

[tinyfish]

I thinks they are thrips.

[Rewton]

When this topic came up previously what I recall is that the consensus was that it was from thrips. I'm not sure what the evidence that that is though.

[TorontoJoe]

TNJed made an interesting point about it being dried up latex. I wonder if whatever it was started chewing and then stopped once it hit the late text later.
I know I have Japanese beetles but there’s no leaf damage on these plants and I’ve never seen them on fruit. I’ve never seen a stinkbug around here before.I’ll need to look for spider mites but again I thought they went for the leaves

Thrilled are new to me. Unless I can find something actively chewing on these trees I don’t know that I’ll find out exactly what it is.

I think for now I will go with the assumption that this is some sort of bug and start my search there.I’m wondering if it makes sense to search for something very small that doesn’t fly given that it’s not widespread among the plants…

This is annoying… Raccoons are much easier to spot

[TNJed]

Yah raccoons are easier to spot but if they find your figs you won’t be posting pics of damage coz the figs will be gone!!! I think your damaged fruit will likely ripen decently but definitely won’t look good on the outside.

[bullet08]

we'll name it "fig suckers". not to be confused with the other fig suckers.

[Kid Fig]

Is that like a miniature Chupacabra, that only partakes of figs?

[bullet08]

definite possibility.

[Figology]

Could be a confused Cucumber Beetle.

[TorontoJoe]

What!?!?? I definitely have cucumber beetles! Killing my (apparently) resistant cucumbers…. This is a possibility… think the little sob’s move on to figs? I haven’t seen them in the trees

[Figology]

It’s a good possibility. I’d go out at night and see what’s going on. Not sure when insects like that feed.

[don_sanders]

They do go after figs too but generally once they start ripening in my experience.

[CeeFigs]

Because of the latex drops of various sizes on the leaves below the figs I'm going to guess probably bird or bug. Some of the lesions showing latex leaks are very, very tiny

[jessup42]

Whatever it is i have the same on a bunch too. Seems innocuous & superficial but not sure. Hope its nothing, but ive seen lots of Pillbugs munching ripe fruit which is a candidate.

[Kid Fig]

Pill bugs....

Use to think growing up that they eat earth or roots, but not plants.

Untill one day after I planted a potatoe, as son as it grew, these little punks stared chewing it up!

After they basically laid waste to my plant and after weeks of attacking it,; I harvested 3 potatoes, all smaller than a quarter!

But that didn't stop me from shouting "I have potatoes"!

[arachyd]

Pill bugs definitely harm green figs too. The good news is Sluggo Plus works on them very well and they have to return back down to the soil every day to replenish the moisture in their gills. I scatter it around liberally since it won't hurt my dogs and it kills several types of fig pests that hide in the soil. Congrats @ Kid Fig on getting a potato harvest! Those little potatoes are great in homemade soups and pricey if you buy them in the supermarket.

[Kid Fig]

@arachyd

Thank you thank you.

I'll have to look into Sluggo, especially when I decide to plant a few more.

I think it would have set more tubers, but it was concentrating all its energy into making new leaves, and also repairing trunk damage from when it was a barely a foot tall plant; by ravenous PillBugs.

[Dtownfigs]

My guess is thrips, I’ve got a similar issue with some fruits. I battled them earlier on a few plants, and pretty sure there are still some taking bites, I’m hoping it’s just cosmetic and only effecting the skin. Funny thing is it’s just a few plants that seem effected, with plants right next to them with zero issue🤷♂️

[RosyPosy]

The oozing latex indicates a bug that pierces fruit to suck fruit juice to me as well. I was trying to find pictures of stink bug or tarnished plant bug damage on figs, and didn’t find any. But here is one of stink bug damage on fruit to compare:




Keep an eye out for eggs on the underside of leaves. Sorry, I can’t post a picture of those, it triggers things in me. 😅


I couldn’t find any pictures of thrip damaged figs either. But they typically leave this kind of scaly scarring on fruit skin:



Whatever it is, I hope something takes care of it for you! It’s no fun to have stuff like that going on!

[TorontoJoe]

You sure that’s not late blight?

[RosyPosy]

TorontoJoe Nope, I’m not sure. Sorry, the tomato pic was mixed in with the stink bug ones.

[TorontoJoe]

Looks a lot like late blight to me. Copper spray worked well for me. More recently Quadris.