A simple way to prevent insects from attacking fruits is to cover the fruits or fruit clusters with bags or wrap them with pieces of paper. This “bagging” method is often used to protect fruits from attacks by fruit flies or to make sure that moths cannot lay their eggs on the fruits.
Cloth bags, paper sacks or plastic bags can be used. When using plastic there is a risk of water getting trapped in the bag, which may damage the fruits or promote the growth of fungi or bacteria. Leaving the bags open at the bottom or cutting a few small holes will allow water to drain out.
Instead of purchasing bags, some farmers have used old newspapers, folded and stapled together to prepare simple paper sacks.
The method can only be used on fruits that don’t need sunlight for their development.
A disadvantage of this method is that it requires a lot of labor.