A chestnut tree in the garden is a beautiful decoration. But what if chestnut leaf miners have taken up residence? Find out how to combat chestnut leaf miners here.
Do the leaves of your chestnut look worn?
The chestnut has lovely white to pink flowers and of course very pretty leaves. But the best thing is the fruit, which every child likes to collect in autumn. When the large leaves also change colour, chestnuts look perfect in any garden. But beware: if the leaves wilt or appear eaten early, then a pest called the chestnut leaf miner is to blame.
Remove leaves thoroughly
The moth nests directly on the leaves and lays the eggs there. The larvae hatch and feed on the leaves. These injuries make the leaves susceptible to fungal diseases and they die early. Incidentally, it overwinters in fallen leaves. Therefore, this should be thoroughly removed and thrown away, so never on the compost. There is no other precaution, as there are no approved pesticides. If you remove the leaves thoroughly, you ensure that the chance that the chestnut will be infested again next year is very small.
Small pests - big damage
The chestnut leaf miner has been spreading in Central Europe for almost twenty years. Although the body of the chestnut leaf miner is only five millimeters long, this small pest can cause a lot of damage. On average, females lay about 20 to 30 eggs on the upper side of the leaf. In the case of a severe infestation, it can sometimes happen that there are 100 eggs on one leaf.