The plum moth is just one of many species that can occur in home gardens, in commercial fruit cultivation and in the wild. The butterfly itself is harmless, but its larvae eat their way through the green leaves. How to deal with them?
What do I do with the plum moth?
The plum web moth cannot seriously damage infected trees. Even after a severe infestation, they recover quickly. But then less fruit can be harvested. In the early stages, cut offthe fewinfected shoots. If there is visible bald damage, there is no point in combating it.
What are plum moths and what do they look like?
Plum web moths (Yponomeuta padella) arebutterflies that belong to the family of web and bud moths. This butterfly species is widespread in Europe. Wherever these food trees grow:
- Plum tree
- Cherry tree
- Hawthorn
- Blackthorn
The butterfly is white-gray with black, dot-like spots. The pupae are about 8 mm long and yellowish. Young caterpillars are whitish, older specimens are greenish with a black head and up to 22 mm long. There is a black spot on each segment.
How do I recognize an infestation with the plum moth?
The infestation is usually only visually noticeable whenfirst websform on tree shoots, in which thesmall caterpillars live and eat protected. Within a very short time, the infected tree can be so heavily covered with webs that the infestation can be seen from a distance. If you would like to discover a possible infestation earlier, you should check the tree in spring for scale-like eggs. They are usually found on the thorns, more rarely on the trunk.
How can I combat plum web moth?
If you discover the infestation due to leaf decay, it is too late to take control measures. In their fine webs, the caterpillars are well protected from sprays because they roll off them. If you discover the infestation when the first webs appear, grab the scissors immediately. Cut off all affected shoots and dispose of them in the trash. If you discover egg clutches in spring, you can spray the tree with neem oil (€28.00 on Amazon) in April. This natural insecticide inhibits or prevents the complete development of the larvae
Are plum moths dangerous to humans?
Plum web moths are harmless to humans. This also applies to the apple tree web moth and other web moths. These butterfly species and their caterpillars are also harmless to animals.
Tip
Do not confuse web moths with the dangerous oak processionary moth
If you discover large numbers of caterpillars and webs on oak trees, you are dealing with the oak processionary moth. This is often confused with web moths. However, its caterpillars are covered with many stinging hairs, which are poisonous and can cause skin and respiratory irritation.
