Pheromone trap apple damager/moth

The package contains 1-covered cardboard trap, 2-pheromone capsule, 2-glued adhesive base and 2-fixing parts. NORM 1 caught the APPLE MOTH (Argyresthia conjugella) on one apple tree, formerly also known as rowan or apple-rowan moth, the moths are small bright, slender butterflies of variable size (10-15 mm). Larger butterflies usually live on apple trees, smaller butterflies on rowan trees. Their flight takes place at dusk, in warm and windless weather; during the day they sit unnoticed on tree trunks or branches. After flying and mating, the female butterfly lays up to 40 eggs on apples, rowan or hawthorn berries, from which (depending on the weather) after 10-14 days the hatched caterpillars penetrate the fruits. After feeding there for about a month, they descend to the ground with the help of a thread and pupate in the upper layers of the soil, under fallen leaves or under baskets on tree trunks, where the pupae also hibernate. Apple moth pupa (butterfly) in flight and sitting (which is how we usually find it on the glue base). On the right, apple moth damage in an apple. From time to time, Estonian apple orchards experience years of abundance of the apple moth (Argyresthia conjugella), when they make a large part of the crop practically unusable. The damage is caused by caterpillars that mine the inside of the apple in narrow twisting passages that reach the core. One apple is usually damaged by several, sometimes even up to 10-15 caterpillars, which make the flesh woody and bitter, so that it is no longer fit to eat and does not yield juice. Butterfly flight begins after the apple trees bloom, often during rowan blossom or even later, depending heavily on average daily temperatures. Most of the time, the start of flying in Estonia falls at the end of May or the beginning of June, while mass flying occurs at the end of June and July. Sometimes flying continues even into August, lasting even more than 60 days. By using 2-3 apple moth pheromone traps, you can detect the presence of this pest in your garden and estimate its population using traps to decide whether chemical control is necessary. By using a larger number of traps (one for each adult tree), you can reduce the number of apple moth butterflies in the garden by catching them (the so-called mass capture method). Assembling the trap: The ends of the bottom face of the trap are broken up. The pair of glued bottoms is pulled apart and one glued base is placed on the bottom face with the glue facing up. A rubber pheromone capsule (dispenser) is placed in the center of the glue base. Fastening parts are placed through the holes, with the help of which the trap is attached to the branch. The trap is hung as horizontally as possible on the southern or western outer branch of the apple tree, so that it is hidden from direct sunlight. When using pheromone traps for apple moth monitoring (monitoring), they are hung at a height of about 2 m so that they can be checked weekly. To do this, the trap is opened at the end and the insects are removed from the adhesive base using a spatula or the tip of a knife, and the number of apple moth butterflies in the trap is recorded. If the inspection shows that the adhesive base is dusty or covered with insects and debris, it must be replaced with a new one. If the pest is present in large numbers, when the traps catch 10 or more apple moths per trap on average in a week, it is advisable to carry out spraying and continue to monitor the number of apple moths after that to decide if another spraying is necessary. If trapping catches are below the control criterion, it is advisable not to spray. With this, you save nature and save unnecessary expenses on insecticide. To prevent further increase in the number of pests, we recommend setting out a larger number of traps (i.e. mass harvesting). Catching apple moth butterflies with pheromone traps is very suitable for controlling this pest, especially in home gardens, where it is not recommended to use insecticides at all or as little as possible. For catching, one trap must be calculated for each adult apple tree or two young trees, and be sure to hang them higher, preferably 2-3 m high, as the butterflies of the apple wrapper fly mainly in the upper third of the crown of the apple tree. After 3-4 weeks, the traps on the adhesive base, which are usually already dusty and covered with insects and debris, should definitely be replaced. If the flight of the apple moth lasts longer (depending mainly on the weather), both the glue base and the dispenser should be replaced in the second half of July. If the spare capsule is not needed, it can be stored in a sealed container in a cool place and used next spring. NB! The glue used on the bottoms is very sticky and cannot be washed off with water. You can use ordinary or white spirit to clean your hands; cooking oil etc. is less effective. If the body of the trap is not too damaged by the weather, it can be used again the following year, but only for the same insect species. A noticeable decrease in apple moth damage is usually achieved as a result of 2-3 years of fishing. In order to prevent a new increase in the number of pests in the garden, the use of traps should be continued in the future..