Fatal attraction for apple worms

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Beyond the Sidewalks : One Thread

Here's some information I was sent by one of my seed traders last year.Just ran across it and thought you might want to use this approach. We have them jugs hanging in the apple trees this spring......

A few years ago, Verna H. of Dakota City , Iowa shared with me an idea for an inexpensive, homemade insect trap that works on apple worms. This trap, using a homemade "brew" that codling moths can't resist, is an organic way of controlling insects. It's a proven winner! I've heard nothing but success stories.

Here's the formula: Put one cup of vinegar, one cup of sugar, and one banana peel in a plastic, gallon-size milk ( or similar type) jug. Fill almost full with water and shake. Hang one capless jug in the middle of each apple tree before blossoms open. Before you know it, the jug traps are packed with codling moths, the "mothers" of apple worms.

Verna uses her traps to protect her lilac bushes. She also recommends variations of them in the vegetable garden. Take a plastic ice-cream bucket, cut a V -shape in the lid, and bend the edges back. Fill the container with Verna's solution. " After I set these pails between my tomato plants," she reports, "I have no more trouble with those black and gold sap beetles that used to get into the fruit."

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Answers

When I read about 'lures', I always wonder if you wouldn't be attracting the very pest you want to avoid . . . However, this one seems 'non-specific', so maybe it wouldn't be as great a problem. What do you all think?

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

I have these jugs hanging in my apple trees right now (read about them on CS forum earlier this year.) So far they've got some kind of bugs in them (I didn't look REAL closely). Haven't seen any worm damage on the little apples yet. Will keep you posted on how it's doing.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Pheremone lures are what you are talking about,Joy? Or baited lures? I know there was a lot of talk abt Jap beetle traps just luring more beetles,but the real problem was the inadequacy of the bag size.It simply filled up.So you either had to empty it often,or have all kinds of beetles. Solution I was told was to use a garbage bag.And hang them nearby,but not in the crop being attacked.

On fly and wasp traps,we are told to hang them away from the use area bc the flies will come there and pest you before they get trapped,but the traps still work in trapping the little buggers.

This will lure them I would hope, but trap them as well.Same as the red spheres(or what works better yet, is an actual apple coated with tanglefoot)

The answer may be to hang them nearby but not in trees.I'll follow the directions for this year.Will also keep a watch on progress and effectiveness.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


Thank you. Our trees are to small to support the jugs so I hung em beside them on a tiki torch.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Moderation questions? read the FAQ