From mid-summer to autumn codling moths tunnel into the fruits of apple and pear trees leaving visible holes in the fruit and damaging the cores.  The moths appear in late May to June laying their eggs near or on developing fruits from June to July.  Caterpillars emerge which are small and white with a brown head.  They fall from the trees once they have finished feeding and pupate in the soil ready to overwinter.

Codling moth traps such as the ones featured here should be used from May onwards.  They serve to catch and monitor male codling moths, helping to warn of later caterpillar attacks and reduce the amount of fertilised females, leading to fewer caterpilars.

The traps featured here, although not necessarily the cheapest, require only one pheremone lure to last the entire season.  The traps are uniquely designed without the use of sticky inserts.

Each trap will cover half an acre of land or sixteen to twenty trees.  They can be re-used each year with the purchase of a replacement lure which are available from the link below. Serious attacks, which the traps will detect, may require the use of a natural Pyrethrum based insecticide, but this is not always necessary.

To view these traps at Harrod Horticultural click here

Mark Snelling

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