There are a number of diseases and pests from which the horse chestnut, which appears so robust, can suffer. One of these is the horse chestnut leaf miner. This little animal was originally only found in parts of Greece, Albania and Macedonia.
How do you combat the horse chestnut leaf miner effectively?
The horse chestnut leaf miner is a pest that weakens horse chestnuts by its larvae eating the leaves and cutting off the supply of nutrients. To combat the infestation and save infected trees, you can remove and destroy leaves, use traps, glue rings or neem oil and encourage birds in the garden, which act as natural predators of the larvae.
The approximately 5.5 mm large moth has now conquered Central Europe. The first clear sign of an infestation is brownish leaves or brown spots on the foliage in summer. This happens through the feeding ducts of the larvae.
Why is the horse chestnut leaf miner dangerous?
The moth itself probably doesn't eat anything during its short life. But their larvae are even more voracious. Their mines, as the feeding tunnels are also called, interrupt the supply of water and nutrients. The leaves then wither prematurely, but this does not lead to the tree dying. However, an infected chestnut is significantly weakened, which increases the risk of further diseases. In addition, the crop yield decreases.
Which trees does the horse chestnut leaf miner attack?
The common horse chestnut suffers most from the horse chestnut leaf miner, but other types of horse chestnut or sweet chestnut are also attacked. Larvae and pupae have also been found on various maple trees. However, the moth causes the most damage to the common horse chestnut.
What can I do against the horse chestnut leaf miner?
The best way to prevent an infestation with the horse chestnut leaf miner is to collect and destroy fallen leaves every day in autumn. This means the larvae cannot crawl into the ground to overwinter. Traps with sexual attractants and glue rings on the chestnut trunks are also intended to keep the moth away. If the infestation is severe, the use of chemical agents should be considered. An alternative to this is neem oil (€28.00 at Amazon).
Can I still save a sick horse chestnut?
The horse chestnut leaf miner significantly weakens the infected chestnut, but does not kill the tree. In this way the chestnut can definitely be saved. However, it is important that you prevent another infestation next year. You can achieve this by destroying the leaves. But don't just dispose of the leaves on the compost, otherwise the larvae will survive there and will be spread throughout the garden with the ripe compost.
If you have a lot of birds in your garden, then they take on a large part of your plant protection. They now also eat the larvae and pupae of the horse chestnut leaf miner and thus ensure that the pests are contained.
The most important things in brief:
- originally from Greece, Albania and Macedonia
- now also native to Central Europe
- Larva very voracious
- Moth probably doesn't eat at all
- first signs: brown spots or leaves
- Significant damage to the horse chestnut tree
- effective means: neem oil, glue rings, traps, predators, chemical substances
Tip
Give local birds a home in your garden, then you will have to worry a lot less about controlling the horse chestnut leaf miner and other pests.
