LIFE HISTORY

Annual emergence of the adult moth occurs in July / August, and is followed almost immediately by mating. The female moths are short-lived (usually a week) and even though they may mate several times, they will generally only lay one egg-mass of 600-800 eggs on the bark of suitable trees, or even on rocks.

These eggs over winter and the larvae hatch out in May of the following year. After hatching, the larvae feed voraciously on tree foliage until late June or early July, when they pupate (form cocoons), emerging a few days later as adult Gypsy Moths.

The dark brown male moth is the first to emerge, and is smaller than the female. It flies well and lives for several weeks. The larger female moth is a light buff colour, and is a poor flyer, often seen fluttering across the ground because of her heavy body weight.

TRAP PLACEMENT

The Gypsy Moth trap only attracts the male adult moth, consequently female moths in the area may never become mated and either lay infertile eggs or none at all which has a significant impact on the following year s Gypsy Moth population.

To ensure the maximum effectiveness of the traps, it is essential that they be placed in the area before the first male moths hatch out  they should be hung up in the first week of July.

Each kit consists of 5 traps with sticky inserts and pheromone attractant lures. These traps should be hung at equal spacing around the property, preferably at head height so that they can be easily inspected. Follow the assembly instructions and place the lure on the top of the insert when you slide it into the base of the trap. It should stick to the glued surface, or you can use a paper clip to attach it.

An even spread of traps on properties of approximately 1/2 acre provides a powerful attraction to the male moths and they will find it difficult to locate the short-lived females. Where possible neighbouring property owners should also be encouraged to use traps, since the effect will be greater. Where high populations of moths are present, it is possible to catch 300 or more moths in a single trap. Additional trap inserts are available.

The lures are packaged in foil pouches and once taken out and placed in the trap are effective for 3 or more months, which will easily cover the adult moth activity period. The traps can be brought in at the end of summer and can often be used again the following year with new inserts and lures. Traps can be disposed of in the regular garbage.

No special protective equipment is needed to handle the lures, but it is recommended that hands be washed before handling the lures (so as not to contaminate the lures) and also after handling them (so that the moths aren t attracted to you!). Rubber gloves may be worn since the non-drying glue can be sticky to handle. Unopened lure packets may be stored up to 5 years in a freezer, and are best contained in a glass jar so as to isolate them from any other products.

Inspect the traps from time to time to see whether they are catching moths and if the inserts become full, replace them, but continue to use the same lure. If a trap does not catch anything, move it to a different location where catches may be higher.

Many homeowners use these traps every season, and in doing so have been able to suppress the moth population to acceptable levels. Additional precautions such as scraping egg masses from the bark of trees in the fall, winter or early spring will further suppress the problem.

Until one has witnessed the complete defoliation that this insect can cause, it is difficult to appreciate the seriousnmeasure is well advised.

LIFE HISTORY

The adult moths are brown with 3 darker bands across the wings, and have a wingspan of 2 cm or more. The females can lay up to 900 eggs, which are usually deposited in masses of about 200 or more eggs. One generation per season is fairly common, but in more southerly areas there may be two generations.

The larvae are light green in colour, 20 - 25 mm long when fully grown, and have a distinctive black head. These larvae start life as 'leaf miners' but then spend the rest of their lives feeding on the undersides of leaves, which develop a characteristic rolled appearance, tied with silk.

Partly grown larvae usually overwinter on woody plants, and resume feeding early spring before pupating. Adults emerge in June and monitoring traps should therefore be placed from late May onwards and be maintained until fall.

TRAP PLACEMENT

Delta 1 and Delta 2 traps are frequently used for monitoring this insect and should be hung in susceptible crops at a convenient height for easy inspection. Weekly counts should start from late May and the trapcatches should be averaged out and plotted on a graph. The peak on the graph will indicate the period of maximum sexual activity and spray treatment of larvae should take place immediately after this peak. Larval sampling should continue throughout the summer with emphasis on the undersides of leaves where one may see silky webbing deposits. Border or spot treatments may be possible during the summer depending on the severity of the infestation.

LIFE HISTORY

The Oriental Fruit Moth is a common pest problem on peaches and nectarines in most parts of the world and was originally introduced into North America from Japan in 1913. The Oriental Fruit Moth is dark gray and similar in shape to the closely related Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella), although somewhat smaller (6mm long). The larvae are pinkish-white with a black comb-like structure on the last abdominal segment, and reach a length of nearly 12mm when fully grown.

In Ontario, the Oriental Fruit Moth is the principal pest of peaches, completing 3-4 generations during the summer months. Overwintering as a late stage larva on the ground or under tree bark, they pupate in early May and emerge as adult moths in late May or early June. Mating takes place soon after emergence and the eggs are laid on twigs and foliage (later on fruits). These eggs hatch in 3-7 days and the emerging larvae tunnel into the tips of green twigs, where they cause the characteristic wilting or "shoot strike". The larvae continue to develop for the next two weeks, then leave the twigs, spin a silken cocoon around themselves on a nearby object and transform into pupae. About 10 days later the adult moth emerges, and the cycle continues. Each generation takes about 1 month to complete.

TRAP PLACEMENT

Traps should be hung at least 20 metres apart within the tree canopy at approximately head height (eg. in a 4 ha. orchard, hang 2 traps in the central part of the orchard and 4 traps about 2 trees in from the outside edge). Hang the traps mid to late May prior to moth emergence and inspect the traps once or twice a week on a regular basis throughout the season. Record the catch in each trap at every inspection and scrape out the moths each time so that they are not re-counted at the next check. Calculate an average catch per trap and plot this on your graph chart. Trapcatches will reach a peak and then begin to drop down again. Cool weather will suppress the moth activity so be certain that the peak is reached by waiting until you can confirm at the next check date. The second generation of moths should emerge in early July and the third generation in early to mid August. A partial fourth generation may develop in September. Sprays are recommended between 3-6 days following the peak, but cooler conditions will delay the hatch, and the spray application will likewise have to be delayed. After spraying, carefully check for live larval presence in the twigs (later in the fruits), to ensure good control, but observe the safe re-entry period when doing this.

Continue to check the traps on the same regular twice-a-week basis all season.

LIFE CYCLE

The adult Warehouse Beetle usually lives no more than 2 weeks, during which time it mates and lays a small number of eggs, which quickly hatch into larvae. The larvae however are able to survive up to 9 months without food, and for as long as 6 years when the food supply is plentiful. During this period, the insects can continuously damage foodstuffs by eating and secreting the frass on to them.

Although populations are often small, the damage caused over a period of time can be costly. High protein foods such as seeds and nuts are preferred and the larvae are found most often in darker areas. Occasionally they will eat the bodies of other insect corpses.

TRAP PLACEMENT

Monitoring traps are commonly used to identify the presence of these insects and will often be placed 5 - 10 metres apart in areas containing susceptible foodstuffs. Small Detector traps are commonly used, but in very dusty areas Window traps may be preferred (see monitoring guide #1902-20 'An Overview of Traps and Attractants for Storage and Grain Beetles'). Lures should be replaced every 6 weeks.

Regular inspection and recording is vital in order to catch any outbreak. Concentrating the number of traps in areas of highest catch will help to pinpoint the source of an infestation.

LIFE HISTORY

The Webbing Clothes Moth (WCM) measures approximately 5mm in length and is straw-coloured with no distinctive markings on the wings. The larvae are tiny white 'caterpillars' with brown heads that cause considerable damage by feeding on articles containing wool, mohair, fur, hair, feathers or other products of animal origin.

The female moths lay between 100-300 white eggs on the surface of the fabric, which hatch out about 5 days later. The larvae feed on the fabric, leaving webs or tubes on the surface, and continue to develop over the next 6 weeks. The larval development time depends on temperature and is much longer under cooler conditions. The period of greatest moth activity is generally during the summer months.

The most important aspect of WCM control is careful sanitation such as washing, dry-cleaning, vacuuming and brushing articles that are likely to be attacked and, where possible, storing them in moth-proof containers. Cold storage of 5.5°C or extreme heat of 43°C or higher will also destroy these insects. Another means of protection is to place cleaned articles in cedar-lined closets, where the cedar oil content is high.

TRAP PLACEMENT

Hang the trap in areas where insect presence is suspected and inspect twice a week. If there is no catch, try moving the trap to a different location. If insects are being caught, leave the trap in position and add additional traps as needed. Catching and trapping adult moths will affect the reproduction and development of further larvae.

The pheromone lures should be taken out of the sealed package with minimal handling and placed on the floor of the trap. The lure will be effective for 6-8 weeks, after which time it should be replaced with a new lure.