Like us humans, trees are also prone to health hazards like diseases, environmental issues, injuries, and pests. About 25% of trees in the US forests die every year due to pest infestation and diseases. And winter moths are one of them.
What is Winter Moth?
Winter Moth is an intrusive moth species that originated in Europe and has spread to most continents, including the United States of America and Asia. This particular species emerges in November and remains active till January.
They lay eggs on trees that hatch around spring, and the larva devours the leaves and new buds of the trees. Its infestation severely affects the tree’s growth, and if they attack fruit-bearing trees, they diminish the harvest significantly.
They lay eggs on trees that hatch around spring, and the larva devours the leaves and new buds of the trees. Its infestation severely affects the tree’s growth, and if they attack fruit-bearing trees, they diminish the harvest significantly.
How do you know that your tree is infested with Winter Moth?
Now you understand what Winter Moth is and how it can harm your tree, but how would you know whether your tree is suffering from an infestation.
Well, you can check for these signs in your tree.
Well, you can check for these signs in your tree.
- If you inspect closely, you can notice inchworms on the leaves and buds on the day, and they come on to the upper leaf surface during nights.
- You can also find half-eaten and dying leaves. The fruit and flower buds even start falling off early without bearing anything. It leads to the tree’s downfall in the long run.
Treatment for Winter Moth
There are majorly three ways to treat Winter Moth lets understand what these are:
Insecticides: Using different types of chemical insecticides is the most commonly used method of treating Winter Moth. There are various types of insecticidal treatments available in the market. Ensure that you carefully understand the side effects and proportion you need to use to prevent your tree from harm.
Physical barriers: There are various physical barriers like tapes, oil, grease, and sticky tapes that you can apply on the tree stem and branches to prevent the caterpillars and moths from sticking to the tree.
Biological control: One can use insects like parasitoid flies that eat Winter Moth. But this process is very time consuming and is used to curb large size infestations. It may not prove successful in treating a single tree.
Insecticides: Using different types of chemical insecticides is the most commonly used method of treating Winter Moth. There are various types of insecticidal treatments available in the market. Ensure that you carefully understand the side effects and proportion you need to use to prevent your tree from harm.
Physical barriers: There are various physical barriers like tapes, oil, grease, and sticky tapes that you can apply on the tree stem and branches to prevent the caterpillars and moths from sticking to the tree.
Biological control: One can use insects like parasitoid flies that eat Winter Moth. But this process is very time consuming and is used to curb large size infestations. It may not prove successful in treating a single tree.
Best time to treat Winter Moth
The best time to winter moth treatment is during fall and spring when the soil’s moisture level is appropriate. The soil temperature should also be more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. One should also take into consideration the tree’s overall health condition before deciding the treatment course.
About Seacoast Tree Care
We hope now you understand the importance and ways of protecting your trees against harmful Winter Moth infestation. Still, if you feel you are facing issues, please take the help of experts at Seacoast Tree Care in treating Winter Moth infestation.
You can contact us at 603-431-0101 for Seacoast NH / Southern ME and 978-225-6644 for Northshore MA. Or drop an email at info@seacoasttreecare.com if you have any questions.
You can contact us at 603-431-0101 for Seacoast NH / Southern ME and 978-225-6644 for Northshore MA. Or drop an email at info@seacoasttreecare.com if you have any questions.
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