Pheromone trap for plum damager

The package contains 1-covered cardboard trap, 2-pheromone capsule, 2-glued adhesive base and 2-fixing parts. PLUM WRAPPER (Grapholita funebrana) moths are small butterflies with dark brown forewings and metallic shiny brownish gray hindwings, wingspan 14-15 mm. There is a light bead on the outer edge of the wings. The flight of the butterflies takes place in twilight, in warm and quiet weather, after the flowering of the plum trees for one to two months. After flying and mating, female butterflies lay eggs on young fruits, from which caterpillars hatch after 7-10 days and enter the fruits. A characteristic transparent, rubber-like droplet forms above the entry hole. The caterpillar feeds in the fruit for 17-50 days, filling the area around the bone with excrement. Damaged fruits stop growing and drop prematurely. Adult caterpillars, 12-15 mm long, with a pinkish-red body and a brown head, migrate to tree trunks, where they overwinter in cocoons under the basket and in bark cracks, sometimes on the ground. The finished plum borer in top and side view and the caterpillar in a damaged plum. Pheromone trap for plum borer By using 2-3 plum borer pheromone traps, you can detect the presence of this pest in your garden and use traps to estimate its number in order to decide on the necessity of chemical control. By using a larger number of traps (one for each adult tree), you can reduce the number of plum borer moths 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. Fasteners 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 tree, so that it is hidden from direct sunlight. When using a pheromone trap to track (monitor) plum borers, they are suspended 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 plum 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 butterflies on average per trap in a week, it is advisable to carry out spraying and continue to monitor the abundance of the plum borer afterwards to decide whether a second 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 out plum borer 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 plum or two young trees, and be sure to hang them higher, preferably 2-3 m high, as the butterflies of the plum wrapper mainly fly in the upper third of the tree's crown. 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 butterflies 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 pest 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..