Hang red spheres on the south side of the tree at about eye level and one-third of the way inside the tree canopy. Remove foliage from about 1 foot around the traps. One trap per 100 apples provides about 95 percent control of apple maggots. To enhance trap effectiveness, add the ammonia solution, or the synthetic attractants that mimic the odor of ripe fruit. Also see the fact sheets on apple maggot, blueberry, cherry fruit fly at this site Tarnished Plant Bug This common pest of backyard fruit trees can cause considerable damage.
Damage resembles a deep dimple in the fruit.
If insects are present in large numbers, some method of control is recommended. Adults overwinter and feed on swelling buds in the spring. When feeding occurs before the pink stage of apply bloom, the damage blossoms will fall. Feeding after that time causes fruit deformity. To the insect, it resembles an extremely large petal.