North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Felicia Lowe" <litlbudy@whidbey.net>]

I haven't ever had any problems with codling moth in our fruits trees.  Not sure if it is due to the birds.  We do have a horrible problem with tent caterpillars.  We put a bug zapper up in the orchard area when the tent caterpillar moths are flying.  In the morning we let the birds out of their house and they run over and eat the thousands of moths lying under the zapper.  Lots of the moths are alive attached to the arbor and I just knock them to the birds.  I don't see nearly the amount of egg sacks as in the past.  Word of caution do not put up a bug zapper close to a goat barn starting July 4th, unless you want to spend several late night hours convincing your goats it's ok to go into the barn.  One thing I forgot to mention, if I had to go it over again, I would go with all female birds.  Come spring the drakes try to mate everything and everyone - including the geese.  The geese get very loud in their discussions of this.  The rooster and the drakes fight for flock leadership also. 

 

Felicia - Washington State