Trapping
Use traps and monitor insects to provide:
- information on pest activity
- information on insect numbers
- validation of degree-day models, which predict insect emergence
information to optimize spray timing
Most traps catch only the adult stage of the pest and may not provide information on the destructive larval stage.
The two types of traps used in apples to monitor are pheromone traps and visual traps.
Pheromone traps: Use pheromone traps to determine the presence or absence of pests and the first sustained flight or peak activity of certain pests. This information is used in conjunction with degree day models to predict when egg hatch begins, and determine the best timing for control measures. Pheromone traps are used to monitor for oriental fruit moth, codling moth, obliquebanded leafroller, dogwood borer and spotted tentiform leafminer (optional) in apples. Guidelines on using pheromone and visual traps in orchards have been established.
Visual attractants: Yellow sticky boards and three-dimensional (3D) white sticky cards are attractive to certain insects because they provide a visual stimulus. They are used to indicate the presence and relative abundance of a pest (apple maggot or European apple sawfly).
Click to enlarge.
