Ways to combat caterpillars on an apple tree, how to properly and what is the best treatment

How to fight

An apple tree is a fruit tree that not only creates a beautiful image in any garden, at any time of the year, but also gives very tasty, healthy, vitamin-rich fruits.
But if pests appear on the tree, they must be eliminated immediately. How to deal with them is described below. It is also important that the gardener understands why the cobwebs appeared. If the apple tree begins to become covered with cobwebs in the form of a white mesh, in this case there is an apple moth. To get rid of it, you need: where you can get it yourself, reach in places of the crown - remove the cobwebs with your hands

You need to treat apple trees every week until you completely get rid of the cobwebs on the trees. You can also use a chemical that can also be purchased at specialized points of sale - Fitoverm, use it also according to the instructions in its packaging.

An important point is the mandatory removal and destruction of caterpillars, which look like small worms, as well as their nests, so that new pest larvae do not mature in the future. Leaves and branches that are located high need to be treated with spraying. It is recommended to use a special tobacco infusion for this purpose. Also, you can buy biological products at specialized retail outlets, for example: entobacterin or dendrobacillin, use these products according to the instructions included in their packaging.

Gardeners may also have cases where it is not possible to treat trees in a timely manner due to frequent and heavy rainfall. And then, instead of flowers, a lot of cobwebs will appear on the apple trees, which will cover the entire crown of the tree, and the leaves will be eaten by caterpillars that look white with black dots - this is the ermine moth. The butterfly is snow-white in color and lays its eggs in small piles in cozy places in the tree, for example: branches, bases of buds. The eggs are laid in the form of scutes. It is under them that the caterpillars overwinter. And when spring comes, they bite into the buds of the apple tree, and when the leaves bloom, the entire brood feeds on the pulp of the leaves for two weeks.

Of course, after this the leaves will dry up, and the caterpillars will make a tent out of cobwebs and live in it (up to 70 pieces in one). Then they eat all the leaves on the tree, and the gardener did not have time to look back when the apple tree was covered with white cobwebs. Then the caterpillars will pupate, butterflies will appear, which will again lay their eggs and everything in a circle...

It is best to inspect the young branches of the apple tree in the fall, even with a magnifying glass. If you find egg shells, they need to be scraped off well and burned. Do the same with dry branches, especially those that are heavily eaten. And before the frosts come, be sure to spray with lime milk, after which the apple tree should be covered in white.

Also, in early spring, it is imperative to cut off and burn all spider nests so that the caterpillars do not crawl around your apple tree. Starting from the period when the apple tree is about to be covered with blossoming buds and then flowers, it is recommended to spray the trees. For example, you can use one of the recommended products.

Signs of tree infection

There are a number of symptoms that can help identify caterpillars on an apple tree.

Web

The key symptom of crop damage is the presence of cobwebs with larvae. Common types of parasites that lead to the appearance of cobwebs include hawthorn and silkworm. The problem may also be caused by moths or ermine moths.

Larvae under the bark

Infestation of trunks and branches under the bark by caterpillars remains asymptomatic for a long time. During this time, the parasites gnaw through many passages in the trunk. As a result, the threat of damage to the culture by bacterial microorganisms and fungi increases. Such a tree quickly dries out and dies.

Deformation and the appearance of holes on the buds

Caterpillars often damage buds and flowers. As a result, the yield of the tree is significantly reduced. Flowers that have been affected by caterpillars fall off. As a result, ovaries do not appear on such a tree. If the fruits do form, they also suffer from caterpillars.

Hawthorn and codling moths lead to the appearance of holes on buds and buds. Also, the cause of such problems is often the leaf roller.



Fighting the codling moth

This is the most common pest that attacks the apple tree. Its caterpillars spend the winter in cocoons at the base of a tree or in the ground. When the apple tree blooms, the caterpillars begin to pupate, and 7-8 days after the end of flowering, the codling moth butterflies lay eggs. The emerging caterpillars damage the peel of unripe apples, reach the core, eat the seeds and crawl out. One caterpillar can spoil more than one fruit in this way. Affected apples do not ripen completely and soon fall.

The main methods of combating the codling moth are collecting fallen apples and destroying them, cleaning tree bark, and constructing trapping belts. Special preparations also work well against the caterpillar - insecticides, which do not allow the codling moth to penetrate the fruit, destroying unwanted pests. For example, two weeks after the apple tree has bloomed, the tree should be treated with a solution of karbofos (0.3% solution) or chlorophos (0.2% solution)

It is important to take into account that the effectiveness of these drugs decreases in the heat, and their too frequent use can attract ticks, which also attack the apple tree and spoil the ripening fruits. When spraying for the first time, it is recommended to apply the solution to only one tree and check whether the condition of the apple tree worsens

If this does not happen within 24 hours, then the product is suitable for controlling the codling moth on all other trees. Carefully read the instructions for use of the drug so as not to damage the apple tree and future fruits. Be sure to follow safety precautions when treating trees with insecticide.

If you prefer more gentle means of getting rid of moths, you can set up a butterfly trap using an electric lamp as bait. Reacting to the light, the butterflies fly towards the lamp and fall into a trap set up - for example, a container with diesel fuel or sticky paper, which is located next to the light bulb. In addition, it is possible to spray the apple tree with pine concentrate, infusion of wormwood or burdock. The first time spraying should be done 12-14 days after the end of flowering, and then repeat it twice every two weeks.

Another effective remedy against codling moths on an apple tree is tansy decoction: they need to spray the plant every 5-6 days. Finally, tomatoes planted between trees repel the pest.

What to process

Prevention, as we know, is the key to health. This formulation is also relevant in relation to the garden. No matter how safe modern insecticides are, you want to reduce their quantity to a minimum in order to get a truly organic harvest. And to do this, you need to regularly “walk around” your property, checking the plants for the presence of clutches of caterpillars. Leaves entangled in cobwebs should be immediately removed and destroyed.

One of the methods of prevention is whitewashing trees, which protects plants not only from insects, but also from sunburn. Digging up a garden plot is also quite effective. Small grooves around the perimeter prevent many caterpillars from reaching the garden. The grooves need to be cleaned periodically.

Insecticides for controlling caterpillars Insecticides can be contact (they protect only the treated parts of plants, act quickly, but, as a rule, they are also quickly washed off by rain), intestinal (enter the insect’s body with food and thus destroy the pest), systemic (affect insects different ways).

The following drugs can be used to control caterpillars:

Bitoxibacillin is a biological product based on bacteria. Effective against caterpillars of vegetable, fruit, flower and ornamental crops. In summer, with a high density of pests, to achieve the desired result, treatments should be frequent and regular (with an interval of 7-8 days).

Lepidocide is another biological product designed to combat caterpillars in the garden, vegetable garden and flower garden. During the heavy rainy season, regular treatment is required (every 7-8 days).

Monsoon is a drug with a wide spectrum of effects. Resistant to temperature fluctuations. The effect of use lasts about 15-30 days.

Iskra M – cannot be used near water sources. It acts quickly and is effective within two weeks.

Inta-Vir is a broad-spectrum drug. Dangerous for beneficial insects (therefore, plants should not be sprayed during the flowering period) and aquatic inhabitants.

Senpai - affects insects by contact. Valid for 2 weeks. Dangerous for bees.

All insecticides must be used with extreme caution, in no case exceeding dosages.

How to fight apple moth (folk remedies)

Many gardeners claim that when apple trees are heavily infested with moths, it is almost impossible to do without chemicals, however, correct and timely preventive and agrotechnical work will help not to resort to such a harmful method, or, in extreme cases, aggressive chemicals must be replaced with biological ones.

Spraying (folk recipes)

• Tobacco infusion against caterpillars (1st, 2nd generation) of ermine moth. Pour 1 kg of shag or tobacco into 10 liters of water, cover the dish tightly with a lid, boil and simmer for half an hour over low heat. Next, the broth must be left for 24 hours, strained and diluted with water 1:3. You need to add soap to the prepared solution, preferably laundry soap per 10 liters of liquid, 40 g of soap. Spraying with tobacco infusion should be carried out together with treatment against fungi, so-called tank mixtures should be prepared.
• Yarrow decoction. Pour boiling water over 800 g of dried herb and leave for 30 minutes, add water to 10 liters and leave to infuse for 48 hours. Trees should be sprayed with this decoction immediately after flowering.

Spraying with biological preparations

In case of mass hatching of caterpillars, apple trees after flowering can be treated with such drugs as Bitoxibacillin and Lepidocid. Expensive, of course, but very effective.

Mechanical method of combating apple moth

In the spring, browned young leaves containing caterpillars are collected. When the caterpillars have emerged, early in the morning they collect cobwebs from apple trees. It is advisable that the caterpillars remain inside when removing the nests. All collected insect dwellings must be immediately destroyed.

Agrotechnical techniques

• To reduce the number of pests on trees, you need to prune apple trees before the growing season begins.
• Whitewashing of skeletal branches and trunks, as well as cleaning the bark on the trunks. It is imperative to treat wounds on the tree and seal hollows. All these actions will significantly reduce the number of wintering individuals.

Biological control methods

• Attracting a variety of birds and beneficial insects.
• Bacteria. The drug Entobacterin is harmless to humans, birds and plants, it is also not dangerous for helping insects, but it has a detrimental effect on apple moth caterpillars. Spraying with this preparation should be carried out during the growing season of the apple tree at intervals of one week in the morning or evening in dry weather.
• The reduction in moth numbers is influenced by natural entomophages, among which the parasite Ageniaspis predominates - it lays eggs in caterpillars. It looks something like this:

Protection against apple moths will give a good result only if the moment of the first manifestations of the insect is not missed; all nests of the pest must be collected immediately and the caterpillars must not be given the opportunity to occupy new territories. Have cobwebs appeared on your apple tree in your garden?

Where can you find caterpillars

Caterpillars of various butterflies, depending on the type of food and food supply, can settle in various organs of the apple tree: on the foliage, in the buds and even under the bark. The spread of pests is a species characteristic that allows you to identify an unwanted guest on a tree and choose the right method to combat it.

Leaves and web

Some types of caterpillars are capable of releasing a thin fiber from their body that looks like a spider's web.
They entangle twigs and leaves among themselves, creating a kind of shelter - tents, houses, sometimes even entire domes. The degree of damage depends on the number of caterpillars - sometimes these formations can be invisible under the foliage, and sometimes they take on the appearance of huge panels. The main types of butterflies whose caterpillars weave webs are:

• ringed silkworm;
• gypsy moth;
• winter moth;

• ermine moth;
• hawthorn;
• goldentail

Bark

Caterpillars that feed on plant juices are considered the most dangerous because they live under the bark and in its layers and can remain invisible for a long time.
These pests include caterpillars of apple glass moth, oriental codling moth, and corrosive wood moth. They gnaw passages in the bark, build cavities and entire labyrinths, damaging the conductive tissues of the tree and negatively affecting the vegetative and generative functions of the apple tree as a whole. In affected apple trees, the leaf area, number of peduncles and ovaries decrease. To detect such “tenants”, it is necessary to regularly inspect the bark for small entry holes and remains of insect activity.

buds

Pests that settle in buds are clearly visible, which allows you to quickly detect them.
At the same time, they cause damage much faster by eating flower buds and flower parts, inhibiting flowering and ovary formation. With extensive damage, the apple tree can shed even healthy flowers and not produce an ovary at all. If the ovary does form, the caterpillars can feast on it. Most often, the buds are inhabited by caterpillars of the leaf roller butterfly, hawthorn moth and codling moth.

Folk methods of struggle

People are quick to come up with inventions and have long used the various possibilities of all available means. Many of them were quite effective in eliminating pests from apple trees.

Traditional methods of pest control for apple trees.

Most often this is spraying with some infusions or decoctions. You will have to carry out more than one treatment, however, the preparations are safe and do not accumulate in the soil or in the fruits.

Here are some effective remedies:

• Spraying with an infusion of wood ash or a decoction of marigolds will help against aphids;
• Spraying with a lime solution in low concentration helps against weevils. Chamomile decoction also helps;
• Spraying a decoction of bitter wormwood, tomato tops or celandine helps against codling moth caterpillars;
• an infusion of wormwood, celandine or a decoction of tomato tops helps in the fight against leaf rollers;
• wood ash is effective in combating scale insects.

It must be remembered that when using any decoction, before spraying directly, you need to add a little liquid soap or grated laundry soap to it. This will help ensure better adhesion of the substance to the leaves and stems of the tree.

What anti-caterpillar remedies exist?

As a rule, special chemicals (insecticides) are used to control pests. They are applied to those plants where insects live. Based on their effect on the caterpillar body, insecticides are divided into contact, systemic and intestinal.

Scientists also identify another subtype of pest control agents – translaminar. These drugs penetrate the leaves, which the caterpillar then eats.

In addition, there are insect control products aimed only at a specific type of caterpillar, and there are those that fight all garden and garden pests. These are drugs with continuous and selective effects.

Chemicals are also classified according to the main active ingredient they contain. For example, those working on pyrethrins, avermictins and other substances.

If you are choosing a remedy for caterpillars, carefully study their instructions. After all, on each preparation it is indicated in detail at what phase of the plant this preparation can be used, in what area, against what types of insects, in what weather, and so on. This way you will reduce the burden on the environment, which is very important.

Why do cobwebs appear on an apple tree and how to deal with it

Source of the web

Treatments with humates will help, about five times during the summer.

​It is impossible to answer such a question without descriptions and without explanations (which caterpillar, in what phase, what does it damage???)​

How to fight

The chemical method is effective in the fight against codling moth, but biological methods are no less effective. Fitoverm is popular, which is best used at temperatures above 18 degrees. The waiting period for action is up to 2 days. In case of mass rejection of caterpillars, Lepidocide is used. 30 g of the drug is diluted per 10 liters. An interval of 10-14 days is maintained between treatments.

​Chemical preparations can only be used at the beginning of the summer season; the rest of the time it is better to give preference to mechanical methods and folk remedies.​

​Gardeners successfully use cyhalothrins: “Vantex”, “Karae Zeon”, “Gladiator”, “Altyn”, “Break”, “Kungfu”.​

​Of course, after this the leaves will dry out, and the caterpillars will make a tent out of cobwebs and live in it (up to 70 pieces in one). Then they eat all the leaves on the tree, and the gardener did not have time to look back when the apple tree was covered with white cobwebs. Then the caterpillars will pupate, butterflies will appear, which will again lay their eggs and everything in a circle... In general, it will not be difficult to fight the cobwebs that have formed on the branches of apple trees. The main thing is to detect the appearance of cobwebs in time and start fighting.

​And in order for the apple trees to grow healthy, nitrogen fertilizers are stopped applied in mid-July.​

​Delicately remove them with tweezers and... crush the reptiles with a slipper!​

Video “How to get rid of cobwebs on an apple tree”

​Despite the variety of chemical and biological means, traditional methods have not lost their relevance. Gardeners use infusions of wormwood, tansy, pine needles, and burdock. The first treatment is carried out during the flowering period, then 2 more times with an interval of 14 days. If, after all, wormy carrion appears, then you need to treat all the trees again.

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​Another biological drug is “Bitoxibacillin”. The plant is treated with it during the growing season, then after 7 days. Under no circumstances should the drug be used during flowering!​

Pests of fruit trees and damage from them

Caterpillars are one of the forms of existence and development of butterflies, moths or other insects that lay their eggs and parasitize in the greenery of bushes and trees. Their most negative feature is their gluttony and good adaptability to living conditions. Larvae or caterpillars on an apple tree can completely destroy flowers, leaves, ovaries and fruits on the tree.

In order to begin the fight against such pests, it is necessary to determine the type of insect whose larva causes damage to fruit crops on the site. To do this, you need to conduct regular external inspection of trees in order to detect caterpillars and the results of their activities.

Signs of larvae settling on a tree:

• A web with caterpillars found on an apple tree makes it possible to accurately verify their presence on the plant. The main types of pests capable of producing it are ermine moths, moths, ringed and gypsy moths, and hawthorn.
• The appearance of small black caterpillars on an apple tree indicates that it has been infected by hawthorn, while large and furry ones, 6-7 cm long, are silkworm larvae.
• Larvae that have settled under the bark can remain unnoticed for a long time. They gnaw numerous passages in the trunk, damage it and increase the risk of the tree becoming infected with fungal diseases and bacteria, which can lead to drying out and death of the tree. Under the bark live the caterpillars of such lepidopteran insects: apple glass moth, wood moth, codling moth, etc. To detect them, it is necessary to look for entry points during inspection, surrounded by their excrement and remains of vital activity.
• Small caterpillars on apple tree leaves are moth larvae that are capable of eating up young greenery completely, leaving the tree without foliage and ovaries.
• The settlement of caterpillars in buds can be easily detected, which will allow you to quickly take measures to destroy them. However, it is they who cause the greatest harm to the future harvest, eating away the flowers and ovaries. Bud lovers include caterpillars of leaf rollers, codling moths and hawthorns.

On a note!

Leaf rollers can appear not only on apple trees, but also on pears, gooseberries, currants and other fruit and flower crops.

Caterpillars on an apple tree

Cobwebs on trees, how to get rid of them. How to deal with caterpillars on an apple tree

Caterpillars are larvae that lead a parasitic life on plants. Caterpillars can spread over quite significant distances and are capable of affecting large areas. A distinctive feature of all varieties of these insects is their exorbitant appetite. If they settle on a tree, they can completely destroy not only the leaves, but also the inflorescences, fruits and even the bark.

There are several thousand varieties of caterpillars. Some of them lead an open, and some – a hidden lifestyle. And sometimes only by certain signs can one determine that the apple tree is affected by a pest.

Cobwebs are a sign of a tree being damaged by caterpillars. In this case, the damage can vary in volume: from insignificant accumulations of cobwebs to huge accumulations of cobwebs in the place of foliage that was eaten.

The most common types of caterpillars that infect apple trees are:

• apple ermine moth - a dirty yellow caterpillar with parallel pairs of black dots that are located along the entire body
• winter moth - a green caterpillar that arches when moving
• ringed silkworm - gray caterpillar with blue stripes

hawthorn – small yellow caterpillar with longitudinal black stripes

• The gypsy moth is a large, furry black caterpillar.
• The lacewing is a caterpillar with dark orange hair that can cause allergic reactions.

Larvae under the bark are the most dangerous category of pests for apple trees. Parasites that live under the bark - hidden parasites - remain undetected for a long period of time.

Therefore, a seemingly healthy apple tree often dies suddenly.

The caterpillar larvae damage the wood, which negatively affects the conductive functions of the trunk, increasing the chances of being affected by various diseases of bacterial and fungal etiology, and provokes the appearance of hollows.

Caterpillars that live under the bark of an apple tree:

• apple glass beetle - a medium-sized white-yellow caterpillar that affects only apple trees
• odorous woodborer - large reddish-brown caterpillars with a dark head and jaws with a strong odor of wood vinegar
• Oriental codling moth – pink small caterpillar
• corrosive woodworm - a large naked caterpillar of light yellow or pinkish color, on each segment of which there are black dots with short hairs

Caterpillars in the buds of apple trees are immediately visible, so you need to quickly respond to their appearance, because damage and destruction of buds and flowers is a direct threat to the quantity and quality of the harvest. If urgent measures are not taken, the risk of losing the harvest is very high.

Among the brightest representatives of caterpillars that infect flowers and buds, the most common are:

• leaf roller - a small green caterpillar
• hawthorn
• codling moth - a small thick caterpillar of pinkish-red color with grayish dots without hairs and pubescence

Chemicals

They allow you to protect trees by 90-100%, the most common of them are:

1. Intavir, an insecticide, acts on the nervous system of parasites, paralyzing their organs. But it cannot be used near water bodies or during the flowering period - it is toxic to fish and bees. When using it, it is necessary to use protective equipment. Possibly addictive.
2. Tanrek is an insecticide that paralyzes and kills the caterpillar through plant tissue and affects adults and larvae. Non-toxic to fish, resistant to precipitation. When using, use protective equipment; do not use during flowering and fruit appearance. Toxic, possible addictive effect.
3. Fufanon is an insecticide that causes poisoning and death of insects. When using, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment. Poisonous to fish and bees. Used several weeks before harvest. Used no more than 2 times per season. Toxic and not dangerous for larvae.
4. Karbofos, an insecticide, immediately causes death in caterpillars. Use personal protective equipment, the last time applied a few weeks before the fruit begins to ripen. Has an unpleasant smell.

Types of caterpillars

They are voracious and adaptable. Let's look at their types in more detail.

Black

There are several types of such caterpillars that attack apple trees at once: the gypsy moth is the most easily recognizable. Large, furry, almost 7 centimeters.

Gray

A typical representative is the ringed silkworm with blue stripes. During the day it sleeps inside the web, and at night it is active.

Greens

Winter moth, reaching 3 centimeters in length. She has only 5 pairs of legs, therefore, when moving, she arches. The leaf roller is a small 2-centimeter caterpillar. You can identify her by her web.

White

On the apple tree you can find parasitic species of white and pale pink, seemingly translucent caterpillars. These are not only the usual glass moth and codling moth, but also those that have spread to the apple tree not so long ago, such as wood moth, oriental tree moth, and striped fruit moth.

Codling moth caterpillar

Widespread and very dangerous. She can spend the whole winter under the bark. After the apple tree blooms, it lays its eggs on the ovary and leaves. And then it is very important to know how to treat them, otherwise you can forget about the harvest.

Apple glass caterpillar

White-yellow in color, no more than 2.5 centimeters in length, harms only apple trees.

Yellow

Hawthorns are not the smallest caterpillars. You will recognize them by their black longitudinal stripes. Up to 4.5 centimeters long. They leave noticeable marks - the veins on the nibbled leaves remain uneaten. Apple moth - its small caterpillars 1.3-1.6 centimeters are painted dirty yellow. There are black dots along the body, in parallel pairs. It only affects apple trees.

How to get rid of caterpillars on an apple tree? How to get rid of caterpillars on fruit trees?

dolfanika

​Such a web on an apple tree can also form in the winter season. Many gardeners are interested in what kind of cocoons, which are very clearly visible, hang on the branches of their apple trees and what to do to get rid of them?! These are also pests, they are called hawthorn. They are small caterpillars that prefer to curl up and spend the entire winter in their cocoons. If you have a hawthorn, you need to immediately treat the plant in order to get rid of this pest as soon as possible.​

​catch the caterpillar and hang it on the branch of an apple tree, as a warning to others.​

​By increasing the viability of trees, you can also get rid of caterpillars.​

poison. lepidocid. actellik. read it. Of course, I would like to grow it environmentally, but keep in mind that many pests have already adapted to the drugs, and you certainly can’t remove them environmentally. or apple trees and apples or ecology and butterflies with caterpillars. the choice is yours.​

​no way this is possible​

​In the summer, you can use fishing belts. To do this you will need newspaper, paper or burlap. Cut a strip 25-30 cm wide and wrap it several times around the trunk of the apple tree at a distance of 30-40 cm from the ground. Wrap the strip tightly with twine on top and leave gaps at the bottom. Caterpillars, trying to get to the fruits, will fall into this trap. Inspect the catch belts at least once a week or soak them with track glue or betanaphthol. But remember that the latter drug can cause bark burns in trees under 20 years old.​

​Removing old bark on a tree​

​When fighting codling moth using chemicals, you must follow safety rules:​

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Processing terms and rules

To get rid of caterpillars, it is important to properly treat the plant, taking into account the seasonal factor.

Before sap flow begins

Even before the buds awaken, the trees should be carefully examined and removed from any traces of parasites.

Before and during flowering

At the moment the buds appear and before the flowers appear, it is worth treating apple trees in a timely manner. For this purpose, insecticidal preparations and copper sulfate are used. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the ovaries and flowers. At the moment of flowering, spraying should be abandoned. At this time, it is allowed to collect caterpillars by hand. It is also permissible to use Bordeaux mixture.

After the color falls

After flowering has ended, the tree is processed next time. During this period, it is allowed to use folk recipes and insecticides. From this period until the fruits ripen, at least 1 month must pass.

During fruiting and after

During the fruiting period, it is strictly forbidden to use chemicals. To destroy caterpillars, it is recommended to collect them manually.

After harvesting, it is worth paying attention to preparing apple trees for winter. At this time, it is recommended to collect and burn fallen leaves and dig up the soil. After which it is permissible to use insecticidal preparations. Also during this period, sanitary pruning of apple trees is carried out and the affected areas are treated. Tree trunks should be whitened.

Caterpillars on an apple tree in a web: how to fight

To effectively combat worms and caterpillars in the web, various folk remedies and time-tested methods are used. So, to eliminate pests, you can resort to the following:

• Use a strong stream of water to wash off the larvae and cobwebs, then burn them in a fire.
• At the first sign of damage to an apple tree by a black caterpillar, it is recommended to get rid of it by mechanically shaking it off: lay a film under the crown of the tree, shake off the pests from the apple tree and burn it.
• An effective control method would be to plant tomatoes and garlic between apple trees. The smell of its leaves can repel harmful insects and butterflies.
• Prepare a strong decoction of tansy and spray the seedlings with it once a week.
• Use an adhesive belt to attach to the tree trunk. Such a device will prevent insects from spreading to branches and ovaries.
• Use an infusion of celandine; to prepare it, you need to take dry leaves and add water to them in a ratio of 1:10. The product is infused for 2 days, after which it must be filtered and liquid soap (2 tbsp) added. The apple tree is sprayed with tincture 2 times a week.
• Take tomato tops and prepare a decoction from it. Infuse 1 kg of leaves in a bucket of water for 5 hours, after which the pulp must be boiled over fire for at least 3 hours. Before treating wood, you need to take a clean liquid and dilute the solution with it in a ratio of 1:3.
• To spray an apple tree, it is recommended to use a concentrated solution of pine needles; you can also use tansy, burdock and celandine. Two weeks after the tree stops blooming, it needs to be treated with a solution.

It is recommended to use any herbal decoction or infusion no more than 4 times a week. It is advisable to alternate folk remedies, because pests have the ability to get used to them.

Insecticidal drug

In any specialized store with garden supplies you can find an insecticidal preparation to combat caterpillars and cobwebs on apple trees: Tanrek, Fufanon, Intavir, Karbofos and Fitoverm. Each drug is accompanied by instructions with information on proper use.

Attention! The procedure for treating wood with a toxic insecticidal substance must be carried out wearing protective clothing, gloves and a respirator to avoid poisoning. Before you start processing, you need to read the information about preparing the solution and strictly follow the proportions so that it has maximum effectiveness

Before you start processing, you need to read the information about preparing the solution and strictly follow the proportions so that it has maximum effectiveness.

Treating apple trees against diseases

In early spring, before the buds swell, choosing a warm, windless day with a temperature not lower than 5 ºC, carry out preventive spraying of the apple tree and the soil under its crown against fungal diseases with copper sulfate or nitrafen solution. At the very beginning of the bud breaking process, in order to prevent scab disease, it is necessary to spray the trees with one of the following preparations:

• Bordeaux mixture;
• copper sulfate;
• inkstone.

If for some reason you did not treat the apple trees for scab before bud break, treat them with Bordeaux mixture, karbofos (urea), copper or iron sulfate during flowering. This will allow you not only to protect apple trees from scab, but also to destroy harmful larvae and eggs of caterpillars of moths, butterflies, ticks and sawflies, and if you give preference to iron sulfate or karbofos, your trees will receive additional nutrition in addition to protection. But this is only in case of emergency: it is better not to treat apple trees with chemicals during flowering.

In the summer, if necessary, treat the apple tree against fungal diseases with copper-containing preparations added to the solution of liquid soap.

In the autumn, after harvesting, but before the leaves fall, the garden is sprayed with urea for the last time as a preventive measure against diseases. This measure will also save you from harmful insects preparing for winter.

Folk remedies against cobwebs on an apple tree

How to deal with cobwebs on apple trees if you don’t want to use chemicals in your garden? Turn to folk remedies.

There are several recipes for non-toxic spray solutions:

1. Laundry soap shavings and ash are dissolved in a bucket of water. Thanks to the soap, the solution will cover the leaves with a film that is not easy for insects to bite through. Ash will make the foliage taste unpleasant.
2. Pour 1 kg of shag into a bucket of hot water. If desired, the solution is boiled for 10 minutes and then left for 3 days. After this period, the infusion is filtered and 2 buckets of water are added to it. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto diseased trees.
3. 1 kg of nettle is poured with warm water, the foliage is treated with this infusion.
4. Take 200 g of onion and peel, add a bucket of warm water to them. Leave for 6 days, filter, and use as a spray solution. Within 6 months, this liquid can be used on trees no more than 3 times. It will protect them from spider mites, aphids and leaf rollers.
5. 800 g of dried yarrow is poured with half a bucket of boiling water and left for half an hour. Then add water to a full bucket and leave for 2 days. Trees are treated with the solution immediately after flowering.

Features of treating plants against caterpillars

When exterminating pests, it is important to follow certain rules:

• Adhere to processing deadlines.
• Do not get carried away with chemicals - you should use toxic compounds as a last resort, without exceeding the dosage.
• It is necessary to poison insects in dry, windless weather in the morning or evening hours.
• Wear protective equipment when using chemicals.
• Follow the rules of hygiene - after treatment you need to wash and change clothes.
• Destroy any remaining funds rather than storing them until next use.
• Do not harvest within 30 days after spraying.

Spider aphid

As a rule, aphids appear simultaneously with spider mites. The pest reproduces very quickly - the female is capable of laying up to 100 larvae at a time.

Methods for controlling green aphids

Green aphids choose young trees. The insect sucks juices from fruits, branches and foliage using its proboscis, causing the leaves to curl and fall off. Another sign of the presence of green aphids is a black coating on the trunk.

To remove it, apple trees are sprayed with tobacco infusion.

Methods for controlling gray aphids

The gray one settles mainly on mature trees. A symptom of the pest is swollen foliage that has changed color. Subsequently, the leaves curl and dry.

They get rid of aphids of this species using bioinsecticides (Verticillin, for example). Processing begins when the air temperature is set at 22-24 °C. Dissolve 100-500 ml of the product in water and spray.

After treatment with the solution, the top layer of bark is peeled off and the trunk is covered with whitewash. Special traps are attached to the trunk - belts made of thick paper or straw. The pest lays eggs in them, and at the end of autumn the belts are removed and burned.

Prevention of caterpillars

As you know, it is easier to carry out prevention than to get rid of the consequences.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Koshalev

I dig in the garden at the dacha until the last rays of sunshine every day. No specialty, just an amateur with experience.

Personally, I prefer to minimize chemicals on the site. Consider me a man of the old order, but I only use it when absolutely necessary.

Here are my prevention tips:

Do you use chemicals?

Not really

1. Inspect bushes and trees. Tear off the curled leaves and burn them.
2. In autumn and spring, whitewash to prevent the appearance of pests.
3. The grooves in the circle around the trunk are not only for watering. It will be difficult for the caterpillars to reach the tree.
4. Catching belts will also help catch caterpillars before they cause colossal damage.
5. Autumn procedures - cleaning of plant residues and digging up the soil. Especially if the area is next to wild grass.

How to deal with leaf rollers on apple trees and other fruit trees - Pest Control

The leaf roller is a dangerous pest that damages buds, leaves and fruits. In case of a massive invasion, they can destroy most of the crop. It is easy to distinguish from other pests - the larvae roll apple tree leaves into tubes or bundles.

The earlier the fight against leaf rollers on apple trees begins, the more effective it will be.

This is especially important for young apple trees, in which the loss of a large number of leaves will disrupt the process of photosynthesis and can be disastrous

From our article you can learn how to get rid of leaf rollers on an apple tree.

Appearance of the pest

The leaf roller is a small butterfly with a plump, hairy body and small wingspan, no more than 2.5 cm.

The color of the wings varies from gray to various shades of brown, often with a distinct pattern of darker colors in the form of stripes or ornaments.

She folds her wings not vertically, like most butterflies, but horizontally, completely covering her body with them. Butterflies fly out late in the evening and at night, and during the day they hide in shelters.

The greatest damage to apple trees is caused by caterpillar larvae. Caterpillars have a smooth body, the color can be yellowish, brown, greenish or brown. The head is brown or black. They feed on buds, young leaves, and some varieties even reach fruits.

The life cycle depends on the type of leafroller; it differs in the timing of the appearance of caterpillars, the wintering place, and the time of departure of butterflies.

Leaf rollers are dangerous for apple trees:

• rose;
• currant;
• omnivore;
• fruit;
• kidney spinner.

Egg clutches overwinter on branches, caterpillars - in a dense cocoon in cracks in the trunk, on shoots near the buds, in dried curled leaves. The emergence of the caterpillars coincides with the swelling of the buds or the beginning of flowering.

In June, they pupate in folded leaves for 10–14 days, after which butterflies fly out and make several clutches of eggs over the course of a month. The eggs develop for about two weeks, after which new caterpillars appear, which roll up the leaves with the help of a web, gnaw them, and sometimes even get to the fruits.

This is what a leaf roller looks like on an apple tree - photo of butterflies:

Rose leaf roller.

Currant leaf roller.

The leaf roller is omnivorous.

Fruit leaf roller.

Bud roller.

Why is it dangerous?

Leafworm caterpillars harm apple trees throughout the growing season.

The first caterpillars damage flower buds, which reduces the formation of fruit ovaries. After flowering, they move to the tops of young shoots, eat and curl the apical leaves, which leads to growth retardation.

This is especially dangerous for young apple trees in which the crown is forming. In the second half of summer, the caterpillars move on to the fruits, eating holes in them.

During mass reproduction, leaf rollers move to other fruit trees and shrubs in the garden.

We identify a pest by appearance: how to understand the species

To choose the right drug or folk remedy against the caterpillar, you need to know the enemy by sight. There are a huge number of species of butterflies that lay eggs, and each caterpillar of its own species has characteristic features. For ease of understanding, we will conditionally divide pests by color.

Black

There are few species of black caterpillars that attack apple trees. The most notable and noticeable is the gypsy moth caterpillar . This is a large, hairy caterpillar about 7 cm long. The body is black with red dots and yellow longitudinal stripes. She eats foliage, flowers and ovaries.

Small black caterpillars with yellow longitudinal stripes on the body and white short hairs are the caterpillars of the hawthorn butterfly . They often weave webs. Damage to foliage is also typical - they eat only the flesh of the leaf, without affecting the veins.

Gray

Of the gray caterpillars, the most common raider on the apple tree is the ringed silkworm caterpillar . She has a bluish-gray body with narrow longitudinal stripes on her back - white in the center, then orange and black. The body is covered with short orange fluff. The activity of these pests is mainly nocturnal; during the day they sleep in spider cocoons.

Greens

Small, bright green moth caterpillars have thin white longitudinal stripes on their backs. They feed on leaves, flowers and ovaries, forming a sticky web as a waste product, which they use to twist the leaves.

Small dense green caterpillars, darker near the head section - these are leaf rollers . They also feed on all parts of the plant and roll the leaves into a tube before pupating. They easily damage young leaf buds and therefore require quick destruction.

White

White or yellowish-white, with black dots all over their bodies, dense caterpillars of the corrosive woodworm live in thin branches and bark of trees. Its presence can be determined by the large entrance on the bark and long corridors, inside of which the pests themselves can sometimes be found. They are dangerous because they are practically invisible to the eye.

Yellow

Yellow apple moth form nesting colonies. They reproduce several times per season. These are small yellowish worms that use a web to weave a nest of leaves.

Codling moth caterpillar

Codling moths are one of the most dangerous pests. They live in the soil and in the bark of a tree, and closer to fruiting they make their way inside the fruit and eat the pulp and seeds. They look like dense small caterpillars with an orange head, a dark head end and a light, almost white tail.

Apple glass caterpillar

Very small, up to 2 cm long, white worms with a bright red orange head. Only apple crops are affected. They live under the upper layer of the bark, making passages in it. The branches damaged by them quickly die, and black voids are found inside such branches.

Prevention

• Inspect apple trees regularly to detect harmful insects and their larvae.
• In the spring, destroy all egg-laying and spider nests found on the tree, and also whiten the trunks with lime mortar
• Throughout the season, pluck and burn all the leaves rolled into a tube.
• Periodically spray the soil under apple trees with endobacterin.
• Don’t be lazy to spray apple trees with folk remedies against caterpillars.
• Place several feeders in the garden for birds that eat caterpillars.

If you follow the entire complex of the above measures, then caterpillars will not appear on your apple trees, which means that you will definitely reap a good harvest of tasty apples.

Apple tree pest control

At the very beginning of spring, before the buds swell, on a windless day at an air temperature of at least 5 ºC, trees and trunk circles under them are treated with a solution of nitrafen or copper sulfate in order to exterminate insects that have overwintered in the garden. As soon as the buds begin to bloom, choose one of the preparations suggested below and treat the apple trees with it against scab and insect pests of the buds:

• copper sulfate;
• inkstone;
• chlorophos solution (from caterpillars and weevils);
• suspension of colloidal sulfur (from mites).

Those who were unable or did not have time to carry out treatment before the onset of flowering of apple trees can, in case of emergency, treat the trees comprehensively against pests and diseases during flowering with the following preparations:

• Bordeaux mixture;
• copper sulfate;
• inkstone;
• suspension of colloidal sulfur, phthalan, captan or zineb.

At the same time, caterpillars, moths, honey moths, mites and aphids are exterminated with karbofos. To kill mites, it is best to use a keltan emulsion, and against caterpillars that damage leaves, treating the apple tree with an entobacterin suspension gives good results. However, spraying plants during flowering can harm pollinating insects, so try to avoid treating apple trees with chemicals during this period.

Immediately after flowering, using Bordeaux mixture, karbofos, copper or iron sulfate, scab is combated, as well as mites, sawflies, larvae and caterpillars of butterflies and moths. And after two to three weeks, a combined treatment of apple trees against scab, codling moth and other pests is carried out with a solution of chlorophos with the addition of urea. At this time, it is undesirable to use Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate or copper oxychloride, as they can leave burns on the leaves and netting on the fruits of the apple tree.

In the summer, if necessary, apple trees are treated against pests with karbofos, actellik, inta-vir or other insecticides. It is advisable to do this no later than a month before the fruit ripens.

After harvesting, but before the leaves fall, carry out preventive treatment of apple trees and trunk circles with nitrafen or karbofos against harmful insects that have settled over the winter in the soil under the apple trees or in their bark. Urea, in addition to protecting against pests, will provide additional nutrition to apple trees.

Tree pests - what are they?

A lot of insects can live in a summer cottage, but those that cause significant damage must be destroyed. Based on their feeding method, parasites are divided into two groups:

• leaf-sucking: aphids, codling moths, bugs, thrips, scale insects;
• leaf-eating: butterfly caterpillars, slugs, beetles and their larvae.

The first group of insects pierces the leaf blade or bark and sucks in the juice. They can be destroyed by an insecticide with contact action: it enters the body with food and causes paralysis in the pest.

Insects from the second group feed exclusively on leaves. It is enough to treat the above-ground part of the plant to poison them.

Control measures

There are several proven control methods that will help if caterpillars eat viburnum in the garden.

Folk methods of struggle

For centuries, farmers and gardeners have tried to get rid of pests. This is how folk methods of struggle appeared, which are presented below.

Garlic tincture

Prepare a tincture of garlic in water for 2 days. Early in the morning or evening, spray the bushes with it. To enhance the effect, add a few drops of dishwashing detergent to the infusion.

Tops solution

The tops of tomatoes or potatoes contain the toxic substance solanine. To repel pests from viburnum bushes, you need to prepare an infusion. To do this, 3 kg of fresh herbs are chopped, poured with a bucket of water (10 l) and left for 6 hours. After this, put the dishes on the fire, bring to a boil and cook for half an hour. Cool, add 50 g of soap (soap shavings). Spray on viburnum leaves.

Tobacco solution

As already mentioned, pests can be repelled by planting tobacco next to the viburnum. If they have already appeared, then it is better to treat the plant with a special compound. To prepare it:

• mix 200 g of dry tobacco leaves with 3 pods of hot pepper;
• pour 10 liters of water;
• a day later, add 100 g of crushed laundry soap and 3 tbsp. l. wood ash or ground cinnamon;
• stir;
• spray on leaves and other parts of viburnum.

Ash solution

Ash is widely used in gardening as a fertilizer, as well as an effective means of pest control.

To destroy caterpillars that appear on viburnum, a soap solution is prepared from it. For this:

• 300 g of ash is sifted;
• pour three liters of boiling water over the ash;
• put the dishes on the fire and continue to boil for 40–50 minutes;
• infuse the solution for at least 6 hours;
• filter;
• pour into a 10-liter bucket and add water almost to the brim;
• add 40–50 g of laundry soap;
• stir;
• used for spraying.

It is recommended to prepare the solution immediately before use.

Soda-soap solution

This is another caterpillar killer that is safe for people and pets. Its use gives a pronounced antifungal and bactericidal effect and is a good prevention of plant damage.

To prepare a portion of a soda-soap solution, take baking soda or soda ash and grated tar or laundry soap (100 or 300 g, respectively). Dissolve soap shavings in a liter of warm water. Then add 1 tbsp. l. regular or 0.5 liters of soda ash. Mix everything and apply the spray solution.

Professional preparations

If you notice black caterpillars or an invasion of other insects on viburnum, then use special biological products. They are effective for 10 days after use, and the effect lasts up to 2 weeks. “Fitosporin”, “Iskra bio”, “Aktofit”, “Fitoverma”, “Bisolbifit” contain active components that do not pose a danger to plants and humans. Their principle of action is based on disruption of natural processes in the body of insects.

Drugs with chemical composition

Various chemical preparations can help in pest control. For example, before the plant begins to flower, the leaves can be sprayed with a 60% Nitrafen solution (10 liters of water per 200 g of liquid).

The drugs “Aktara” and “Aktellik” also have good effectiveness.

When using chemicals, you must use personal protective equipment.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4_zKosGvL0c

Biological methods

The biological method involves the use of insects that are parasites or predators. It is used quite rarely. For example, a small ground beetle eats the pupae of leaf rollers and moths. Lacewings and parasites are also a danger to viburnum pests.

Biological method

When caterpillars appear on trees, you can also use a biological method to destroy pests. It consists of attracting natural enemies. These are predatory insects (spiders or ticks) and birds (swifts, swallows, tits). To do this, in early spring, feeders, birdhouses, etc. are hung on trees. In the summer, it is not advisable to install such devices.

A biological control method is the use of bacteriological preparations (Bitoxibacillin or Lepidocide), which, when butterfly larvae enter the body, cause their death.

The disadvantage of such products is the need to spray trees repeatedly. Moreover, the composition does not have a negative effect on beneficial insects, and therefore it can be used for preventive purposes. In addition, this kind of product is “active” at a temperature of at least 18 degrees.

Silkworm: photo and description, control measures

The black furry caterpillars on the apple tree are silkworms. Silkworm eggs can be found on the underside of the leaf. The appearance of these caterpillars threatens the tree with viral diseases, so treat the apple tree with complex preparations.

Before poisoning a silkworm, remember that the pest quickly adapts, the preparations should be changed frequently.

• nitrophen is used before bud break;
• before flowering, they are treated with karbofos, zolon or metaphos;
• After harvesting the fruits, they are sprayed with chlorophos.

Timely pruning of the tree, which is carried out before the start of the growing season, as well as whitewashing the trunks along with skeletal branches help as preventive measures. Treat and clean wounds on the tree in a timely manner, cover up cracks and hollows, this will reduce the number of wintering pests.

Fighting caterpillars: the most effective methods and recommendations

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Caterpillar pests

The most common caterpillar pests

Methods of getting rid of caterpillars using chemicals

Traditional methods

Folk remedies against caterpillars on the site

Pest prevention

A beautiful, well-groomed plot with fruit-bearing trees and vegetable crops is the result of the long and painstaking work of each summer resident. But if you lose your vigilance even a little, caterpillars may appear and reduce all your efforts to zero.

How to get rid of butterflies on cabbage. What to spray and how to scare away white butterflies from cabbage

Cruciferous crops are susceptible to attacks by a variety of pests. Every season, for many gardeners, the question of how to treat cabbage from butterfly invasion becomes relevant. In this article we will analyze methods of protection against this pest, as well as preventive measures to protect plantings.

The external features of the small insect are as follows:

1. Body structure: dark body, white wings with black spots. Size about 2–3 cm.
2. The wingspan of females reaches 6 cm, while that of males is slightly smaller.
3. Butterfly caterpillars are blue-greenish in color with three yellow stripes and black dots on the back.
4. The 2.5 cm pupa is yellow-green in color and has gray-brown spots on it. It is entwined with a silky thread, with which it holds onto the leaf of the plant.
5. The butterfly has well-developed visual organs, as well as a keen sense of smell. The front legs and club-like thickenings on the antennae serve as organs of touch.

Life cycle and reproduction of the cabbage butterfly

At the beginning of May, the cabbage butterfly becomes active and reproduces quickly. During a season, the insect can produce up to five generations, so getting rid of cabbage grass is not easy. The life cycle of the cabbage butterfly includes 4 metamorphotic states:

1. Egg. The female's fertility is 250–300 eggs. The adult individual lays them on the underside of the leaves of the crop. Ripening period is from 5 to 12 days.
2. The butterfly caterpillar size is up to 35 mm. The larva gradually feeds and molts frequently (about 4 times), and the interval may vary each time. This is due to the ambient temperature as well as seasonal humidity. The larval stage takes between two and five weeks. After birth, caterpillars penetrate cabbage leaves and make passages in them. Here they linger for several days (2-3), after which they crawl out to the surface of the leaf and begin to devour its untouched skin. Having finished feeding, they remain on the plant and begin weaving a cobweb cocoon. The pupation procedure takes place there.
3. The butterfly pupa is an intermediate stage of development. She is the wintering phase of the cabbage whiteweed. The height of the cocoon, which has the shape of a barrel, is three centimeters. Its color is dirty green, with an admixture of yellowness dotted with dark patches.
4. The small white adult is a definitive stage in which it does not grow or change. In this phase, the insect is capable of reproduction and settlement.