Apple trees, if properly cared for, produce a bountiful and tasty harvest. Depending on the variety, the fruits can be sweet or sour, winter or summer. You just need to provide the plant with proper care so that nothing overshadows the joy of harvesting. Caterpillars on an apple tree can greatly harm the tree, including loss of harvest. It is necessary to know the pest “by sight” and how to deal with it.
Caterpillar on the trunk of an apple tree.
Description of the pest and habitat
Caterpillars belong to the order Lepidoptera and are the larvae of moths or butterflies. They can feel comfortable on any fruit and berry trees and shrubs, and can easily migrate over long distances.
Their peculiarity is their amazing gluttony. A population of these individuals can very quickly destroy leaves on any plant. However, they are not picky and will happily feast on fruits or even bark on a young tree.
It is very important to recognize the signs of a pest on an apple tree in time. Some of the representatives of the caterpillars lead an open lifestyle, but some are also quite secretive.
Web
The web may be evidence of the emergence of different types of caterpillars. But it is necessary to accurately determine whether the web is their work, because if it is light and delicate, located closer to the ground, then these are most likely ordinary spiders and they do not harm the plantings.
But the web from the appearance of caterpillars can be light and thin. There are always crumpled and curled leaves on it, where the pest settles down for the night. When the canvases are large, often accompanied by completely corroded branches, practically without leaves, then it is necessary to immediately proceed to immediate action.
The following pests can be found on apple trees:
- lacewing;
- hawthorn;
- winter moth;
- apple ermine moth;
- gypsy moth.
The type of pests will determine what methods will need to be used to combat them.
Larvae under the bark
These pests are the most dangerous because they do not show up right away. The larvae can remain under the bark undetected for a very long time, causing harm to the apple tree. They make their moves there, which is why the plant suffers. This creates a risk of fungal disease or infection.
Caterpillar larva under the bark of an apple tree.
You can only notice the appearance of these hidden pests on an apple tree if you carry out regular inspection. It is usually easy to see the remains of traces of vital activity, near which there will definitely be an entrance under the bark.
The following hidden pests can live under the bark of an apple tree:
- corrosive woody wood;
- odorous woodborer;
- apple glass;
- eastern codling moth.
It is better to inspect the bark several times a season to prevent the appearance of caterpillars.
In the buds of apple trees
Caterpillars that settle in the buds and leaves of apple trees are at greater risk because they are more visible. However, they cause much more harm, since they destroy flowers and leaves, thereby directly reducing the amount of harvest. By interfering with flowering, they prevent the ovaries from appearing and can completely destroy the entire future harvest.
Most often the buds are inhabited by:
- hawthorn;
- leaf roller;
- apple moth.
Even if some ovaries have already formed and the fruits begin to ripen, these caterpillars happily eat the fruits.
Species of gypsy moth
There are such varieties:
- ringed - miniature, the wings of females are 4 cm in size, males - 3 cm. The caterpillar reaches 5.5 cm. It has a gray-blue color. They inhabit Europe and Asia;
- traveling – caterpillars migrate to new feeding areas. The leader of a long chain throws out a silk thread and everyone else follows him;
- The pine cocoon moth is an inhabitant of the coniferous forests of Europe and Siberia. The female is gray-brown in color. Size 8.5 cm. Male – 6 cm. Very damaging to pine;
- Siberian - dangerous for spruce, pine, cedar, fir. Color can be black, gray, brown.
Caterpillars on an apple tree, how to fight
Insects on the apple tree must be dealt with immediately. They are voracious and can quickly develop surrounding territories. Therefore, there are a number of tools that can help in this battle.
Folk remedies
The products, tested by time and experience of the people, are environmentally friendly and do not pose a threat to other insects and birds. In addition, they are also inexpensive, because they use improvised means.
The simplest remedy is water. Using a hose with strong pressure, you can wash away pests, then collect them and destroy them. This option is the most economical and simple. In addition, there are also various decoctions and infusions.
Celandine
Dry celandine leaves must be filled with water and left for two days for the infusion to prepare. For one bucket of water, take a glass of dry leaves. Before spraying, you need to strain the solution and add a little soap, liquid or grated laundry soap.
Celandine leaves and flowers.
You can also prepare a decoction. To do this, you need to take 200 g of dry matter per liter of water and boil for 15 minutes. It is better to boil it in a water bath so that the properties of the plant are better preserved. When the finished broth has cooled, it needs to be strained and diluted in a bucket of water. Add soap before spraying.
Fresh grass is also used. You can wrap some green shoots of celandine around the trunk and tie it. This kind of belt will help protect the tree from the codling moth. The grass will need to be replaced as it fades.
Decoction of tomato tops
Tomato tops are a universal remedy for combating various insects that harm leaves. It is only important to prepare the decoction correctly to protect the apple tree. You need to collect a kilogram of fresh tomato tops, place them in a bucket and fill them to the top with water. Leave the mixture for five hours, then simmer for three hours over medium heat. Strain and add water to the remaining liquid in a ratio of 1:2.5.
Sagebrush
Wormwood is used to protect apple trees in various forms. Leaf-eating caterpillars are destroyed by a decoction of wormwood. It is prepared from a kilogram of dried flowers per liter of water, which must be boiled for 15 minutes. The resulting broth is filtered and diluted in a bucket of water, used for spraying.
An infusion will also help against the codling moth. But to prepare it you need to take wormwood, which is in bloom. Fresh grass is cut into a bucket so that there is half of it, pour 10 liters of boiling water and leave for a day. After this, you need to boil the liquid for half an hour. Before spraying, dilute the infusion with water in a 1:1 ratio.
Soda
A simple remedy can help save apple trees from leaf-eaters. Soda can be used dry or as a solution:
- Dry soda is mixed with ash or flour and used for dusting.
- To spray, you need to dissolve 3 tablespoons of soda in a bucket of water.
Preparing a soda solution.
But there are some rules that must be followed for the baking soda to work:
- You cannot prepare a soda solution in metal, plastic or aluminum containers. It is prepared only in glass containers;
- use the prepared solution immediately, and if you need to store it, then no more than three hours;
- The treatment must be carried out in dry, windless weather, in the morning or evening, because in the heat soda loses its properties;
- It is important that the container in which the solution is prepared is clean, as is the sprayer. Any impurities can have a detrimental effect on the properties of soda.
Only by adhering to these rules will treatment with soda help destroy pests from apples.
Birch tar with soap
Tar made from birch bark is an excellent natural remedy for protecting apple tree leaves from caterpillars. It acts differently on different pests, but the protective agent is prepared in the same way.
To do this, you will need 10 g of birch tar and half a bar of laundry soap per bucket of water, which needs to be dissolved.
You need to apply it like this:
- For codling moths, pour the solution into several plastic bottles and hang it around the crown.
- For hawthorn - spray cocoons and dry tips of branches with tar solution, and then the entire crown of the tree. It is also necessary to process the tree trunk circle.
You need to understand that folk remedies will not completely destroy caterpillars on an apple tree right away. The treatment should be repeated after a few weeks, but it is better to combine it with mechanical destruction of the pest population.
Birds are also an excellent way to control caterpillars. They can be lured to the site to make them feel comfortable.
Chemicals
Chemical preparations are good because they provide complete protection against caterpillars. But many beneficial insects also suffer from them, so application requires strict control and adherence to instructions.
Intavir
The drug is of synthetic origin and contains cypermethrin, which has a paralyzing effect on pests. It is sold in dry form: tablets or water-soluble powder.
Powdered pest control Intavir.
The drug is quite toxic to people, so treatment must be carried out strictly in a protective suit. The solution should not be used during flowering and fruiting so that pollinating insects do not suffer from it and the substance does not accumulate in the fruits.
Abundant spraying will help protect the tree from codling moths and leaf rollers. But you should not use intavir too often, because it is addictive.
Tanrek
The active substance of this insecticide is imidacloprid. It is sold as a water-soluble concentrate. You need to use 3 ml of the substance per bucket of water, consumption per tree is 2.5 liters.
The effect of the drug is that it penetrates the caterpillar’s body through tissue and paralyzes it. Because of this, the pest cannot feed and dies. The drug affects larvae and adults; one treatment is enough for 3 weeks.
Tanrek should not be used during flowering and fruiting because it harms bees and can accumulate in the fruit. Chronic use is also prohibited because it can be addictive. People need to use protective equipment.
Fufanon
This organophosphate insecticide contains the active ingredient malathion, which quickly penetrates the caterpillar's body and infects it. It is produced in the form of an emulsion with virtually no odor. A bucket of water will require 10 ml of the product; for one tree you will need to use 2-5 liters of the working solution.
Trees are treated twice per season, avoiding flowering and fruit harvesting times. The effect applies only to adult individuals; the larvae are not destroyed. Fufanol affects the digestive tract, poisoning the caterpillar, which causes death.
Kardofos
The drug is available in different forms: tablets, powder or granules. The composition contains a high content of malathion, as a result of which the death of the insect occurs immediately after contact.
For an adult apple tree, 10 liters of working solution will be needed. Spraying is carried out no more than three times per season, skipping the time of flowering and fruit ripening.
Insect and pest repellent Cardofos.
The drug has an extremely unpleasant odor and is toxic, so processing the apple tree must be carried out in a protective suit and a respirator.
These chemicals will help get rid of pests right away. But they have side effects such as addiction and toxicity. Whether to use them or not is up to each gardener.
Stages of development
Stage 1
The egg is smooth and round with a pinkish or yellowish color. By autumn, the larva develops and overwinters in the egg shell.
Stage 2
In spring the larva is released. Her body has numerous long black hairs. With their help, the wind carries them over long distances.
Stage 3
The pupation period occurs in mid-summer. The pupa is dark brown with a tuft of short red hairs. This stage lasts for 10 – 15 days.
Stage 4
Eggs are laid in heaps in the bark, on branches and trunks. The ovipositor is similar to a soft and fluffy round pad. Mass reproduction of the insect looks like yellow plaques. They can cover the entire underside of horizontal branches. Also, such places can be stones, walls of buildings, containers, vehicles.
Species diversity of caterpillars
In order not to list the huge species diversity of these pests, they are conventionally divided by shade.
Black
Black caterpillars on apple trees feed not only on leaves, but also on flowers or ovaries. The most common thick, shaggy black caterpillar, 7 cm long, is the gypsy moth.
In June, the caterpillars form cocoons, and a month later the butterflies appear. They reproduce very actively and can lay about 1,000 eggs, which can be found on the lower parts of the leaves.
Black caterpillars on an apple tree.
The clutch of eggs and cocoons must be removed, and then the apple tree must be treated with a special preparation. For prevention, you will need an insecticide, which should be sprayed before flowering.
Hawthorns are yellow with black stripes, no more than 5 cm long. Cocoons on cobwebs begin to appear in late May - early June. At the same time, it is necessary to carry out protective spraying against them. Characteristic features of the settlement of this type of caterpillar on an apple tree are eaten leaves, but the veins remain intact.
Gray
The ringed silkworm looks like a gray caterpillar with blue stripes. The insect does not do much harm to trees, because it rests in the web during the entire daylight hours. A small population can be easily destroyed using folk remedies, and large colonies can only be destroyed with the help of Karbofos, Bitoxibacillin or Lepidoicide.
Gray caterpillars on an apple tree.
Greens
The winter moth is a small green caterpillar that causes a lot of damage. It lays eggs in almost all parts of the tree: in flowers, buds, leaves, which are completely wrapped in cobwebs.
You can protect the apple tree from the invasion of these pests mechanically, by removing places where they accumulate, and with the help of folk remedies. Temperatures of -35⁰С are detrimental to pests.
Green caterpillars on an apple tree.
The well-known leaf roller is also green. It is small, so it is quite invisible, but it causes a lot of damage. The caterpillar infects buds, buds and leaves. In July, their population can be seen by tubes of leaves that are wrapped in a web. They can be destroyed with a solution of tar and soap or insecticides.
White
This list also includes white and pink caterpillars, which are represented by the codling moth or glass moth. They are small in size, but there are a lot of them on an apple tree.
And the fruit striped moth, which often settles on leaves and shoots, can also be white and pink. They reproduce very quickly; 2–3 generations can pass in a season. They settle densely on green shoots and destroy young leaves.
White caterpillars on an apple tree.
The eastern codling moth has a pink body with a whitish tint. She is very small, up to a centimeter in length, but very prolific: she lays about 300 eggs.
Codling moth caterpillars
This living creature is very dangerous and attacks wood and fruits. Pests lay eggs after flowering on the ovaries and leaves, then quickly grow and feed on the fruits.
Codling moth caterpillars on an apple tree.
The codling moth is destroyed using insecticides, but trapping belts often help.
Apple glass caterpillar
This small caterpillar is white and yellow in color and only infects apple trees. It can make its moves under the bark and on the branches so abundantly that the branches can even die off.
Apple glass caterpillar on leaves.
Glass often penetrates through cracks and damage to the wood. If trees are treated correctly and promptly with insecticides, then the risk of infection is minimal. Whitewashing is also a good preventative measure.
Yellow
Dirty yellow small caterpillars with black dots around the perimeter are apple moths. They cause great damage to the crop if they are not dealt with in time. Caterpillars settle in large colonies and form entire nests in the web.
Yellow caterpillars on an apple tree.
There are several ways to identify the action of caterpillars on an apple tree:
- externally discovering a large amount of cobwebs on the green parts, flowers and buds;
- examining the cortex, where there will be entrances and exits, as well as waste products.
Regular inspection of apple trees and systemic spraying will help avoid infestation with caterpillars.
Methods for eliminating codling moths
Codling moth (lat. Cydia pomonella)
Codling moth is the most common type of pest. They attack the fruits, preventing them from fully ripening. Lives within the distribution range of apple and pear trees. How to deal with the pest:
- collecting fallen apples, destroying them together with caterpillars;
- regular cleaning of the bark, laying out hunting belts;
- the use of insecticides to spray trees at the end of flowering, the best option is chlorophos (0.2%), karbofos (0.3%).
Before treating the entire garden, it is better to spray only 1 crop. This is necessary to check the effectiveness of the solution.
Terms of work
There are several stages of work carried out in the garden at the right time.
Before sap flow begins
The first work is carried out even before the kidneys begin to wake up. But the ambient temperature must not be lower than -5⁰С.
You need to do:
- Visual inspection of the apple tree.
- Collect and destroy all the masonry from the web.
- Inspect the bark, open all passages and holes.
- Treat the tree with insecticides and copper sulfate.
After these procedures, the young buds will be protected from caterpillars.
Before flowering
The next treatment of the apple tree is carried out when the buds have already woken up, but flowering has not yet begun. During this period of time, it is necessary to destroy the caterpillars that love to feast on young growth.
It is necessary to spray with preparations containing copper and organophosphorus insecticidal preparations.
Treating an apple tree against caterpillars.
During flowering
It is advised not to use chemicals during flowering so as not to reduce the number of ovaries. These substances have a detrimental effect on beneficial insects that carry out pollination.
If the situation is very dire and intervention is necessary, you can use Bordeaux mixture and karbofos. But it is better to use folk remedies that will not cause much harm to beneficial insects.
After flowering
When the apple trees have bloomed, they should be treated again for caterpillars. But you can spray only those varieties that are at least a month away from ripening.
It can be treated with chemicals or folk remedies. At this time, it is important to combat the codling moth.
During fruiting
Although there are chemicals that decompose quite quickly, it is better not to use even them so as not to risk your health. During the fruiting process, you can only manually collect and destroy large hordes of pests.
After fruiting
When the entire harvest is harvested, the trees need to be properly prepared for winter. At this time, several procedures are carried out:
- collecting and burning fallen leaves;
- digging and treating the tree trunk with insecticides;
- tree pruning;
- treatment of wounds and whitewashing.
These measures will help destroy the remaining pests and not leave them a chance for a warm, comfortable winter.
Winter moth
If the caterpillars on an apple tree in the web are green, with 1 dark and several light stripes on the sides, then it is a winter moth. In the process of feeding, they make their way inside the buds, eat them, and when foliage appears on the apple tree, they move on to it.
Fighting methods
To protect the tree from this pest, adhesive belts are installed on the tree trunk below the crown. Trying to get close to the branches, insects fall into a trap. When there are enough individuals on the belt, it is removed and burned, and a new one is installed in its place.
Useful tips
Don't think that a few leaves on a tree don't matter and you can ignore their infestation. The entire tree functions as a full-fledged organism, so damage to any of its organs will cause a weakening of the immune system.
And the impact of caterpillars on apple trees should not be underestimated either. They multiply quickly and eat various parts of the tree, causing irreparable damage to it. Even if they are not present at the moment, it is better to periodically check the crown, because they can appear completely by accident and quickly begin to act.
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.
Rate this post
Chemicals
What to do if the apple tree is covered in cobwebs and there are too many insects? Traditional methods may not cope with a large number of pests. Then you can use special effective means.
"Bitoxibacillin"
It is used against apple moths, spider aphids and mites, moths, silkworms, leaf rollers and hawthorns. To do this, dissolve 40-80 g of the drug in a bucket of water, spray the solution at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per 10 m². Treatments are carried out at intervals of 7 days.
"Bikol"
It also destroys most pests that weave webs on the apple tree.
The product is used only during the growing season, diluted according to the instructions.
"Endobacterin"
The spores of the composition are effective against 97% of harmful insects (silkworms, moths, aphids and others), but do not pose a danger to beneficial ones.
10 g of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water at room temperature, kept for at least 1 hour, and processing begins.
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.
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.
