Caterpillars on a pine treecause yellowing, curling and, consequently, dropping of pine needles. Their feeding can be observed in spring and summer. In order to properly fight caterpillars on a pine tree, it is worth finding outwhat kind of pest it is , what its life cycle is, and also learn to distinguish between different types of caterpillars. See what preparations to use for spraying andwhat to fight the caterpillars on the pine tree !
Caterpillars on a pine tree: (1) a boron, (2) a pine leaf roll, (3) bent pine shoots, the result of feeding a pine leaf roll
The most common caterpillars on a pine tree are:the pineapple leaf roll, the red rose and the nun moth. These pests feed on the pine, causing damage to the needles and their dropping.
Pineapple scroll
The pineapple scroll (Rhyacionia buoliana) is one of the most popular butterflies whose caterpillars feed on pine trees.We observe the feeding of the tortrix caterpillars from the inside of young pine shootsAs a result, the tops of the young shoots dry up and bend in a characteristic way.
Caterpillars mince the base of pine needlesto bite into pine buds over time and overwinter in them. They reach the apical shoot in March, mature in June and pupate into butterflies.
The basictreatment to protect pineagainst this pest is prophylactic spraying with oil preparations carried out in the early spring or at the beginning of spring. The oils contained in these sprays cover the wintering stages of the pests with a coating that makes breathing difficult for them, leading to their dieback.Among the recommended oil preparations, Promanal 60 EC (based on paraffin oil) and Emulprar 940 EC (based on linseed oil) are worth mentioning.
You should also remove drying pine shoots by the end of June to prevent moths from escaping and laying more eggs by them.If numerous caterpillars appear on a pine tree, spray the plant with an insecticide , e.g. Karate Zeon 050 SC or Karate Gold Tuje and Conifers, which will destroy the young caterpillars starting their feeding.
Borecznik rudy
Anothercaterpillar found on a pine tree is the ore(Neodiprion sertifer), which causes the shoots to be stripped. We observe the feeding of the larvae of this hymenoptera since May, whencompletely eat the pine needlesAt the turn of July and August, they surround themselves in a cocoon in which they pupate. Adults appear in September. Females lay their eggs under the skin of the needle where they hibernate. The larvae that hatch in May start feeding on the needles of last and this year.
Fighting this caterpillar on the pine treeconsists in spraying, similar to the pineapple leaf tortrix, with Karate Zeon 050 SC. Of course, if we have found the presence of a pest in the previous years, we also perform prophylactic oil spraying in the early spring.
Dirty nuns
Dandelion moth (Lymantria monacha) isanother butterfly whose larvae feed on pine treesYoung moth caterpillars are black, older moth caterpillars are light or dark brown with a white pattern on the back and blue warts on the sides. The nun moth larvae that hatch in April feed on the pine tree until July.When fighting this pine pest,wear sticky bands that catch the larvae migrating up the trunk or apply insecticide spraying, e.g. Deltam (formerly known as Decis Garden).
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
