Light Brown Apple Moth Part 2

Light Brown Apple Moth Part 2. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

A single light brown apple moth was found in a trap in Polk County Oregon. Dr. Helmuth Rogg is an entomologist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture says this is pretty much a one-off incident but that it does tend to tune up the radar a bit.

ROGG: These traps are highly specific to attract the male moth. They can reach out up to 800 yards up to a mile depending of course on the wind direction and all this stuff so when we put out traps we cover quite some area.

He says they target pathways like trucking routes, ports and airports where the insects would likely be coming in. The light brown apple moth is a leaf roller.

ROGG: It’s in the same family as the codling moth but the light brown apple moth attacks the leaves in general, rolls the leaves and feeds on the leaves so it can damage some of the leaves of pretty much any fruit tree. Having said that there are reports as well that they are doing damage also on some fruit.

Keep in mind again that only one was found. Rogg says that they have gotten away from using general pesticides to spray and either use targeted pesticides or pheromones to confuse the mating cycles. But if there is an outbreak of light brown apple moth, that would change things.

ROGG: Because it’s not going to be effective by the codling moth pheromones so you would have to use a different pheromone which is available but you have to change things now.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.