Jonno wrote:
Depends on where you live.

Try here its in Queensland: http://www.bioresources.com.au/default.htm
A good place to start I reckon.

Once mo http://www.bioresources.com.au/Carve...raeGeneral.htm

PS I googled the info. And edited it slightly. Saves so much time.






whiteMemphis wrote:
Many thanks for this comprehensive reply, gives a good insight into
the scope of the problem, you wouldn't happen to know where I could
get the pheromone trap material by any chance, thanks again.

"Jonno" wrote in message
...

whiteMemphis wrote:
Hi all, anyone here grow apples, and if so, what do you do about
codling moth? thanks any feedback
Codling moth is not a great candidate for biological pest control,
as the larvae are well protected within the fruit for the majority of
development. However, codling moth eggs are susceptible to biological
control by Trichogramma wasps. The wasps deposit their eggs into
codling moth eggs, and the developing wasp larvae consume the moth
embryo inside. Another method for control and sampling, 'trunk
banding', consists of wrapping a corrugated cardboard strip around
the tree trunk. Larvae making their way back to the tree to pupate
after the infested fruits are aborted will use bands as pupation
sites. Bands may then be removed and burned.

Codling moth infestations are often managed with pesticides.
Successful synthesis of codlemone, the codling moth female sex
pheromone blend, has led to behaviorally based monitoring and
management. Pheromone traps are used to capture male moths for
monitoring and setting biofix, which is the time of first flight for
codling moth. Biofix is used with weather data to run degree day
models (see below) which predict with excellent accuracy the
phenology of the population in the field, thereby allowing growers to
time their management actions to target codling moth when they are
most susceptible. A kairomone which is a feeding attractant can be
used to capture males and females (DA lure). Mating disruption can be
used to effectively manage codling moth populations in many cases.
Mating disruption involves the use of a pheromone impregnated release
device, typically made of plastic or rubber. Dispensers are
distributed throughout the orchard and emit female pheromone at a
high, relatively constant rate. The mechanism by which mating
disruption affects males is poorly understood, it may increase the
time required for males to find females, thus reducing fecundity, or
it may simply mask the position of females to searching males,
reducing mating substantially.

Recent trials of non-toxic kaolin clay-based sprays indicate that an
effective alternative means of codling moth suppression may be on the
horizon. Codling moth and other pests find leaves and fruit covered
in kaolin clay unfit for laying eggs. Tiny particles of the clay tend
to attach to their bodies, disturbing and repelling them. In
addition, trees covered in kaolin clay can make them less
recognizable as habitat to codling moths. Full coverage of trees is
necessary in order to achieve effective suppression. If used only at
the beginning of the fruit growing season, kaolin clay often comes
off by itself due to wind and rain attrition, leaving fruit clean at
harvest time.

The prime difficulty in dealing with codling moth infestations seems
to lie with appropriate timing. The method of calculating
'degree-days' is often used by orchardists to approximate when a
particular pest will reach a particular stage of development during a
given season. Since stages of insect development are triggered by the
accumulation of a certain amount of heat over time, this calculation
involves careful tracking of changes in daily temperature. In the
case of codling moth, pupating larvae emerging from bark and other
overwintering spaces will migrate and burrow into apples soon after
petal fall. For a given larva, this migration takes place within a
mere two to three hours. Effective control using any method therefore
depends crucially on identifying when decisive moments such as these
occur.