While some insects are beneficial, there are many that can harm an apple tree. Then it's time to act quickly and fight the pests.
Apple trees are among the most popular fruit trees in German gardens. But they are also often attacked by various pests, which can then spread to other plants in the garden. You should therefore check your apple trees regularly so that you can intervene at an early stage if necessary.Immediate action is not always necessary, they can also tolerate a small number of pests, because after all they also serve as food for other useful animals. However, you must not let it get to the point where there is a major crop failure.
Detect pests early
During the spring and summer months you should take a regular walk around the garden. The leaves of the apple tree give the first indication of an infestation with pests. As soon as they curl up, discolor or have holes, you need to find out what caused them. Later you can see whether the blossoms and fruits are optimally developed.
You should also check the branches for pests. You may also want to climb a ladder to check the top of the tree canopy. Alternatively, binoculars can also help.
Important:
If you hear from neighbors that they have discovered pests on their fruit trees, this is always an alarm signal and a reason to act. If you have found a pest infestation, you must also check the neighboring plants for it.
Apple tree pests and how to control them
✱ Aphids
In addition to powdery mildew, which is caused by fungi, you often find aphids on fruit trees. These suck the leaves of the apple tree and thus damage it.
Combat options:
You can fight aphids with a lye. To do this, mix water with washing-up liquid in a ratio of 10:1 and spray the affected areas with it. The detergent prevents the aphids from attaching themselves to the leavesmake things difficult for them and it also takes their breath away (reading tip: Fighting aphids with garlic - 3 options presented).
✱ Worms
Worms are usually found on the tips of branches. You can usually see a web there.
Combat options:
You should completely remove the affected branch and dispose of it with the residual waste. Then seal the interface with beeswax.
✱ Codling moth
The so-called codling moth is one of the most common pests that you have to expect on apple trees. It is a butterfly whose larvae are laying hands on the apples. Between May and September, the butterfly flies around and lays its eggs on the leaves and fruit of the apple tree. 14 days later at the latest, the caterpillars hatch and eat their way through the apples.
You can recognize an infestation by the holes in the fruit. The larvae live inside the apples.
Combat options:
In order to be able to control the codling moth, a suitable insecticide must be used. Or you can prevent an infestation right away. To do this, wrap the thick branches and trunk of the tree with corrugated paper. The larvae are hiding underneath, which you can then collect.
✱ Apple blossom cutter
The apple blossom weevil is also an enemy of the apple tree. It's not a butterfly, it's a beetle. This not only attacks the flowers, but also the fruits.
The apple blossom weevil hibernates in the woods, which is why it occurs almost exclusively in gardens near the woods. An infestation with the apple blossom weevil is then indicated by reddish-brown discolouration.
Combat options:
Songbirds are this beetle's natural enemy, so a home in the garden is your best weapon. You can attract the animals to your garden by providing nesting boxes, for example, because natural nesting opportunities have become rare in our gardens.
Control of this beetle without chemical agents is hardly possible. It is advisable to always remove affected flowers immediately so that no further spread is possible.
✱ Apple Sawfly
The apple sawfly also eats its way through the apples to the core. They eat the fruit hollow from the inside, so that it eventually falls off. If left on the tree, a corked area with yellow-brown discoloration. The apple sawfly start their flight during the flowering period. The larvae can then later begin their work. After the larvae have left the fruit in June, they hibernate in the ground.
Combat options:
As soon as you discover holes in the apples, you should destroy them. You can also glue white boards and attach them to the trees, because that will catch the wasps. Chemical control with special agents can be carried out as soon as the larvae have hatched.
✱ Frost Moth:
Frost moths are also moths that lay their eggs on apple trees in autumn. The larvae then hatch next spring and tamper with the leaves and flowers. The tree parts gradually dry out and eventually fall off. Frost moth not only infests apple trees, but also plums and cherries.
Combat options:
Since the moths hatch from October, you should attach glue rings to the trees by mid-October. Usually, if there is a natural balance in the garden, the pest will be destroyed by beetles, birds and spiders. If the infestation is very severe, then only the use of chemical agents intended to combat biting and sucking insects will help.
✱ Web Moth
From April, the caterpillars of this moth damage the leaves of apple trees. As the infestation progresses, bright webs can be seen on the trees. The caterpillars of the spider moth live in it. If the infestation progresses unhindered, the entire tree may eventually be covered in webs and eaten completely bare.
Combat options:
Insect extermination is usually done by birds and parasitic wasps. If you discover webs on the apple tree, you can remove them along with the caterpillars inside.
✱ Mealy apple aphid
The mealy apple aphid is one of the worst pests of the apple tree, because it can cause enormous damage to shoots, leaves and fruit. If there are enough ladybugs and lacewings in the garden, an infestation should not get out of hand. Just before the start of the flowering period, you should check the trees closely and then continue to do this for about three weeks after they have ended.
You can recognize the infestation by the discoloration of the leaves. In addition, the leaves curl up and then house entire colonies of lice. If the fruits are damaged, they remain small andare also partially crippled.
Combat options:
Just before the end of the flowering period you can use Calypso (available here) to combat it. This remedy is also effective against fruit stingers and the apple sawfly.
✱ Rust Mite
Mites can also tamper with the apple trees. The rust mite shows up on the fruit and the leaves. The fruits remain colourless, the underside of the leaves turn brown.
Combat options:
The damage caused by this mite is limited, so you should avoid using chemical sprays. The natural enemy of the rust mite is the predatory mite. You can settle these in the garden if the infestation is very severe.
✱ Fruit Tree Spider Mite
You can recognize an infestation with the fruit tree spider mite by the light spots on the leaves. Later, a yellow-red mold develops. The leaves can also fall off.
Combat options:
If possible, fight the fruit tree spider mite only with natural enemies such as ladybirds, spiders and lacewings. If you use chemicals, these will also be destroyed, so it would be counterproductive.