Walnut »Detecting and fighting pests

Aphids

Symptoms of an aphid infestation:

• Honeydew (sticky coating) on ​​the leaves
• leaves rolled up and partly stunted
• yellow discolored leaves
• withered and falling leaves
• Colonies (especially on new shoots)

Note: You need to analyze the leaves up close to spot aphids. The animals are only a few millimeters tall and brown, black or greenish in color.

Measures to combat:

Variant 1 (with manageable infestation):

• Cut off affected branches down to the healthy area.
• Then spray the tree with strong pressure. This is how you wash down the remaining lice.

Variant 2 (with severe infestation):

• Make a highly concentrated soapy solution and add about 500 milliliters of rapeseed oil for every ten liters. The oil clogs the lice's respiratory organs.
• Spray the walnut tree dripping wet.
• Repeat the process after about three days.

Caterpillars

The following caterpillars like to tamper with the walnut tree and often leave a massive damage:

• Blue caterpillars
• Willow caterpillars
• Caterpillars

Optical characteristics of the caterpillars:

• yellowish white color
• up to 6 cm tall
• Point warts on the body

The animals eat their way into branches and trunks and gradually form a hollow tunnel system there.

Measures to combat:

• It is imperative that you react in good time, i.e. before the caterpillars have worked their way into the interior of the tree. Once the insects get there, you can no longer reach them.
• If possible (few caterpillars and a low tree), collect the caterpillars by hand.
• Alternatively, shake the caterpillars off. To do this, you should put a foil on the floor. Then shake the tree (for a small specimen) or work your way from branch to branch with a broom. Dispose of the caterpillars that have fallen on the foil in the household waste.
• In the case of a slight infestation in the early stage, you have the option of removing the affected branches to cut off. For tall trees we recommend using a telescopicLoppers.
• Neem oil (plant products) are also suitable for combating caterpillars. Spray your walnut tree or the infected parts of the plant with it. The oil settles in the caterpillars' respiratory tract, causing the latter to suffocate.

Note: The main pest of the walnut tree is the Walnut fruit fly, to which we have made our own contribution.