Apple borer (Carpocaps-Cydia pomonella)

Prognosis for the appearance of the apple moth (Carpocapsa Cydia pomonella)

After monitoring through the meteorological station located in the village of Vaganica, municipality of Mitrovica, as well as through pheromones for monitoring the apple worm that have been placed in 15 apple orchards in the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri, and Skënder, we have noticed that the appearance of the second generation of the apple worm has begun.

Recommendations for apple growers

We recommend spraying the trees to protect against the Apple leafworm.

Some precautions for combating the apple borer

Description of the pest

It is a frequent pest of apple, pear, quince, and walnut. Butterflies have a body 7-9 mm long, a dark hazel color, almost identical to the bark of twigs, and are difficult to spot during the day. On the front wings, there are brown, transverse, and curved lines in a wave shape. The eggs are milk-white, resemble a water spot, with a diameter of up to 1 mm, while the larvae are 15-20 mm long, with a light rose or white color.

Damages caused

It is quite a dangerous pest; the damage is caused by larvae, which feed on fruit. The larvae create penetrating holes that go toward the fruit pit, leaving a visible entry hole that appears red around the hole walls.

Such a hole is closed with brown-colored extracts, which come as a result of the larva's feeding on the pulp and seeds of the fruit. Later, a small open hole is unblocked as a result of the larva emerges. The affected fruits fall before ripening, often called the June fall.

The pest development cycle

The larvae overwinter in compact pupae made from fine silk threads, usually in cracked bark of the trunk or under soil clots. First-generation eggs are found on leaves near the fruit and develop over 8-14 days; then larvae penetrate inside the fruits, which do not grow normally and create entrance holes with resin. The adult insect lives 15-18 days at optimal temperatures of 15 °C. The larva grows for 3-4 weeks; the insect can have 1-3 generations, depending on climatic conditions and the region. Butterflies appear in May (males somewhat earlier), and after copulation, females lay 30-60 eggs (in some cases 150) and mainly lay them on leaves, rarely on fruits (first generation) or on fruit stems and fruits, rarely on leaves (second generation). Second generation butterflies appear in abundance in July, while their larvae cause greater damage; the apple worm develops two generations.

Pest monitoring methods

Monitoring is done through pherangers and the sum of active daily temperatures.

Critical threshold

1 week to 10 days after flight, a maximum of 1-2 eggs or larvae per 100 fruits.

Treatments (for the first generation) are recommended when the critical threshold reaches 2-5% infection of affected fruits, while for the second generation it is 1% of damaged fruits.

Pest management

Agrotechnical measures

Carefully choose the location for the p.sh orchard. Not near forests or gardens. Remove exposed bark, especially from old trees. Place and wrap with cardboard around the tree trunk so that the insect can settle the nymphs; remove and destroy them at the end of the season. Encourage the use of natural enemies – birds. Use traps with lighting, traps – pheromones. Remove and destroy infected fruits. Prune long branches and apply effective spraying. Remove shelter trees from orchards that are not managed (apples, pears, and walnuts) to destroy apple moth nests. Remove supports, collection pits, and tree bark from the orchard. Protection is ensured from the beginning of sanitary measures in the orchard, as well as the removal of bark from old trees, followed by the collection and disposal of infected fruits.

Physical and mechanical measures

Placement of belts on tree trunks to create favorable artificial conditions for wintering. Then, at the beginning of winter, the bands with accumulated larvae are removed and disappear.

Biological measures

A sticky trawl can be used to catch insects. Biological measures with parasites that feed on the eggs of the codling worm (Trichogramma, Ascogaster) and some types of flies (Icheminodae, Tachinidae). Insecticides are applied once or twice per generation; the duration is determined based on the number of days that coincide with egg hatching in those orchards where pheromones in the climbing (attracting) trachea pass through 5 moths to the climbing (attracting) trachea.
Some natural enemies of C. pomonella have been exploited as agents of biological warfare. Birds are important predators of the appleworm. Besides these, many spider species are important predators of all stages of the worm's vital development. Other predators include spider species (p.sh Formica fusca) and European shear-tails (Forficula auricularia). Ground beetles are also found to feed on mature larvae.
Pheromones for disorientation are a control option that yields good results, but this control is expensive.

In the pheromone flower stage, there is sexual disorientation for the apple borer (CM).

Note: Pheromones for sexual disorientation should be placed just before the start of the insect flight.

Chemical measures

During the growing season, a total of 4 treatments with pesticides containing different active substances can be carried out. The amount of water used per hectare should be 400 liters when the relative humidity is high and the temperature is below 20°C. The first spraying should be done before the larvae penetrate the fruit. To combat the first generation, usually 1-2 treatments are performed (May-June with acetamiprid (mospilan). While for the second generation, 1-3 treatments (July-August).

Preparations for combating the apple moth