AT A GLANCE
What is the cause of cobwebs on the apple tree?
How do I recognize the apple spider moth?
Who have apple spider moths about a centimeter in size greyish-white wings with black dots. The body is completely hairless, the wingspan is about 25 millimeters. The moth larvae, which are up to 25 millimeters long, are yellowish to brownish in colour. The dark head stands out clearly from the almost hairless body. This is divided into ten segments, each with a dark dot on each side.
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How do spider moths live?
From June until August rave the adult spider moths and place her eggs on the branches and drives of apple tree away. Arranged like roof tiles, these are well protected by a hardening layer of secretion.
After a few weeks, the caterpillars hatch and hibernate under the hard layer. They only start feeding in May and form the typical cobwebs to protect them from the weather and enemies, under which they also pupate.
What do the spider webs of spider moths look like?
In the case of a heavy infestation, apple tree entirely of tender, covered with white colored cobwebs, whose threads are very close to each other.
Although a tree spun in this way usually sprouts quickly, the webs are not a purely visual problem. The affected orchards are weakened by the defoliation and bear significantly less fruit over the next few years. Therefore you should Combat spider moths in an ecologically friendly manner.
How can I fight the spider moth?
The simplest and most promising Method of controlling the apple spider moth is this Collecting the caterpillars:
- Place a large cloth under the apple tree.
- Remove the cobwebs with a broom or rinse them off the leaves with a strong jet of water.
- Collect the insects and their webs from the ground.
- Dispose of everything in the household waste.
- Then attach a glue ring to the trunk, so isolated larvae do not.
Tip
Ornate cobwebs in the apple tree
If the webs in the apple tree are spider webs, you should not destroy them and protect the eight-legged friends, because spiders need peace and quiet to hunt. The extremely useful animals feed exclusively on aphids, flies, mosquitoes or insects and thus help to keep the number of pests in the garden low.
