Codling Moth Traps can be used earlier in the year (from May onwards) to catch and monitor male codling moths. This helps warn of caterpillar attack later in the year and reduces the amount of fertilised females, leading to fewer caterpillars.
The trap is uniquely designed without sticky inserts and requires only one pheromone lure per season. The Codling Moth Trap, which covers 1/2 acre or 16-20 trees, can be re-used each year and replacement lures are available for season after season use.
- Codling Moth Trap helps to monitor Codling Moths present in the garden
- Trap supplied with 1 lure
- Helps reduce numbers of male Codling Moths
- Gives an early warning of caterpillar attack
- Long last pheromone lure lasts 1 season
- Replacement lure available separately
- Codling Moths attack vegetables, fruits, salads and ornamentals
Product Reviews
This is a good bit of kit let down by the high cost of the p&p.
The replacement lure is tiny and light in weight the amount charged for postage makes it very expensive,
Caterpillars in the Garden
Appearance and Lifecycle
Caterpillars develop from eggs laid by Moths and Butterflies. There are many different species and many that produce caterpillars damaging to plants.
Some of the most damaging for brassica plants are the cabbage white caterpillars; the large cabbage white [Pieris brassicae] and the small cabbage white [Pieris rapae].
The large Cabbage white butterfly is a migratory species but some do manage to overwinter as pupae. The ones that survive the winter appear in March and are then joined by others that migrate from southern Europe. These butterflies then mate and lay their eggs mainly on brassicas and plants like Nasturtiums. The eggs hatch into caterpillars in about 10 days and feed very rapidly. There are normally 2-3 generations per year from March-September. Another damaging species is the Cabbage moth.
Some tips on the appearance of these caterpillars are;
Large Cabbage White: yellow body with dark black markings
Small Cabbage White: Pale green body with soft looking appearance
Cabbage moth: Green-brown bodies with no hair
Fruit trees and ornamentals are subject to attack from other caterpillars including; Codling moth, Plum fruit moth and winter moth. Codling moths appear in late May-June. Their eggs are laid near or on developing fruits from June-July. The emerging caterpillars are small and white with a brown head. Once they finish feeding on fruits they fall from trees to the soil beneath and pupate in the soil ready to overwinter there.
Plum fruit moths follow a similar life cycle. Winter moths emerge from pupae in the soil from November to January. These pupae then crawl up tree trunks to lay eggs but this ascent can be prevented by applying glue bands or insect barrier glue. The eggs hatch when the buds are opening and the developing caterpillars then start feeding. The caterpillars are pale green and about 2-2.5cm long. They stop feeding by early June.
Symptoms and Damage
The caterpillars attacking brassicas can practically destroy vegetable plots. The large Cabbage white eats the outer leaves of vegetable plants and the small Cabbage white caterpillars tend to eat the hearts of plants like cabbages.
Codling moth caterpillars tunnel into the fruits of apples and pears from mid-summer to the autumn. Holes can often be seen on the fruit and the core will be eaten or damaged when you open the fruit up. Plum fruit caterpillars make plums look dehydrated as they feed from within. Winter moth caterpillar damage is first seen in the spring. Leaves are bound together with silk threads and are damaged by feeding. Later in the summer expanded leaves show small holes. Fruitlets can also be damaged and fail to develop fully.
Natural Choice treatments
Prevention and monitoring can play an important part in a strategy to contain and control damage from caterpillars. Netting and fleece can protect plants from egg laying on brassicas and pheromone traps can warn of attack from codling moth and plum fruit moth on fruit trees. A choice of controls is available from either nematode applications or a pyrethrum based spray directly onto the caterpillars.
What The Press Say
Kitchen GardenMay 2019
Product Review - Pest Traps
Top Pick - This trap will be effective over half an acre or 16 - 20 trees. It comes with one pheromone lure which will last a whole season, and replacement lures are available for subsequent years.
