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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Winter moth in apple tree/Spinosad

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  • From: "Dennis Norton" <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Winter moth in apple tree/Spinosad
  • Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2006 12:33:04 -0500

Ginda,
Sounds like you could have experienced Oriental Fruit Moth. If so, this pest overwinters as mature larvae inside cocoons, which are located in protected areas on the tree or in debris near the base of the tree. In early spring, the larvae pupate (transform into the nonfeeding stage where the larva changes into an adult) and adults begin to emerge at about the time of bloom. The adults lay eggs from which larvae hatch. These first-generation caterpillars bore into new growth at the tips of tree branches. This activity causes the branch tips to wilt (also known as "flagging") and die back. Later in the season, after the branch tips harden, caterpillars enter and feed in the fruit instead. While in the fruit and twigs, caterpillars are protected from insecticides. Good early season control of adult moths using insecticides will often provide control for the entire season.
Control: The presence of moths can be detected with the use of traps containing pheromones (synthetic insect attractants). Traps and lures are available from http://www.greatlakesipm.com/ . Permethrin sprays (such as, Spectracide Bug Stop Multi-purpose Insect Control Concentrate or Dragon Lawn & Garden Protector Concentrate) should be applied if an average of more than 10 moths per trap occurs. Do not apply permethrin within 14 days of harvest, and do not apply more than 8 applications of permethrin per season for all insect pests. If you have bees, spray at night or early evening after the bees have retired for the evening, which is when we do almost all of our necessary pest sprays.

If you see anymore, get a picture to me if you can and I'll try to assist with identification and control. The oil should help, but if it is Oriental Fruit Moth a permethrin based spray is the best for eradicating. That also goes for anyone else with disease or insect problems. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
----- Original Message ----- From: <list@ginda.us>
To: "NAFEX" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2006 11:33 AM
Subject: [NAFEX] Winter moth in apple tree/Spinosad


Last year my apple trees were devastated by winter moth (or some other caterpillar that acts early and crawls into the center of the buds to eat out the growing tips, brfore graduating to inchworm-hood.)

This year I hope to beat them. I sprayed dormant oil a few weeks ago, and today I put on an application of spinosad-based insecticide. It's supposed to be quite safe. The warning label says "keep out of reach of children" and "don't use your kitchen utensils to measure this", and nothing more than that. It is supposed to be fairly benign towards beneficial insects, with the exception of bees. But it's only supposed to be harmful to bees on the day of application. (Until it dries, I'd guess, although the label lists some number of hours.) It breaks down quickly, which is a nuisance re re-application, but means it doesn't build up in the environment. And the "season" for winter moths is rather short, so it's not like I'll be doing this all summer. But of course, the big question is, does it work?

So I sprayed today, since the crab-apples will be in bloom in a couple of days, and I don't want to kill all my bees. Depending on how things look, I will probably spray again after the eating apples drop their petals. (The crabs sprout and bloom earlier than the domestic apples.)

Last year I tried surround with no visible impact at all.

Spinosad is probably expensive for a real orchard, but for a couple of small backyard trees the major investment is the time to spray, clean up, etc., for almost any insecticide.

Anyone used the stuff?

Ginda
eastern Mass., zone 6
bud clusters on crabs, green tips on apples, daffs and forsythia in full glory. A beautiful spring day.







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