Hi all...
I am having a problem with something eating my plum tree leaves. This tree is only 4 years old and has not produced until this year! (well not yet but it's full of fruit)
So the leaves as you can see on my pictures are eaten and have holes on 1 side of the leaf and the other side of the leaf is not touched!
I've not seen anything doing this and welcome any help in identifying what could be doing this. I live in Southern California.
Also the tree is now about 15 feet tall.
Many thanks in advance!
brooke71
Hi Brooke,
The odds are that the likely culprit is the caterpillar of the Winter Moth.
By now it will be long gone.
Next spring get a pheromone moth trap from your local garden centre and this will confirm if the Moth is around.
If you put a grease band around the tree before the tree starts to open its leaves y,our will get the females as they climb the tree in the spring.
Winter Moth females shed their wings in the fall to hibernate under the trees. So they have to climb the tree to lay their eggs.
The males have full wings and these are the ones that the trap is after. No males ....no fertilised eggs!
The odds are that the likely culprit is the caterpillar of the Winter Moth.
By now it will be long gone.
Next spring get a pheromone moth trap from your local garden centre and this will confirm if the Moth is around.
If you put a grease band around the tree before the tree starts to open its leaves y,our will get the females as they climb the tree in the spring.
Winter Moth females shed their wings in the fall to hibernate under the trees. So they have to climb the tree to lay their eggs.
The males have full wings and these are the ones that the trap is after. No males ....no fertilised eggs!
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:53 pm
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30514
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
This is actually not a cocoon at this point, but a hiding place for a caterpillar -- it will eventually make a pupa inside. Yes, it's best to remove it during the day when it is likely to be inside, and it probably comes out to feed at night. Look carefully for more, where there is one, there are likely to be others.
If you are curious, try cutting one open.
If you are curious, try cutting one open.
-
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:53 pm