Identification and Control of the Poplar Caterpillar Moth
Compared to the experience of most people in flower clinics, the identification and control of the poplar caterpillar moth is something we will explore together next.
The poplar caterpillar moth is an important pest that harms poplar trees, primarily feeding on the leaves. In severe outbreaks, it can defoliate a tree in just a few days, severely affecting tree growth. There are many common species of caterpillars that harm poplar trees, including the flat-bodied caterpillar moth, the brown caterpillar moth, the yellow caterpillar moth, and the green caterpillar moth in the Yangtze River Valley. Forest farmers often collectively refer to the caterpillar larvae as "yang lazi" or "eight-angled chili." Besides harming poplar trees, it also affects apple, pear, peach, loquat, elm, paulownia, and many other fruit trees and forest trees. Here is an introduction to the identification and control methods of the flat-bodied caterpillar moth:
Morphological Characteristics
The female adult moth is 13 to 18 mm in body length and has a wingspan of 28 to 35 mm; the male adult moth is 10 to 15 mm in body length and has a wingspan of about 30 mm. The adult moth has a dark grey-brown body, with the ventral side and legs being darker, and the forewings have grey-brown spots, more prominent in males, and the hindwings are dark grey-brown. The eggs are elliptical and flat, smooth, about 1 mm in length, initially light yellow, then turning grey-brown. The mature larvae are 21-26 mm in length and 16 mm wide, flat and elliptical, with a slightly convex back, resembling a turtle's back. The body is green or yellow-green, with a white dorsal line and 10 tuberculate protuberances on each side with spines. The pupa is 10 to 15 mm long, with the front end being larger and nearly elliptical, initially milky white, turning yellowish-brown before hatching. The茧 is elliptical, 12 to 16 mm long, dark brown, and is spun in the topsoil layer around the base of the poplar tree.
Control Methods
1. Combine fertilization and pruning to remove茧 shells on the tree trunks and those in the soil. During winter plowing and fertilization, bury the forest litter and topsoil at the bottom of the fertilization trench or, in conjunction with frost protection, pile up soil 10 cm thick around the base of the tree trunk, compacting it to kill a part of the overwintering pest sources and reduce the occurrence the following year.
2. Manual pest removal. The young larvae of the flat-bodied caterpillar moth often gather on the leaves to cause damage, leaving a white membrane-like appearance on the eaten leaves. You can remove the leaves with a large number of larvae and dispose of them to eliminate a significant number of leaf-eating larvae.
3. Luminous trap killing. During the occurrence period of the caterpillar moth adults, take advantage of their phototaxis by setting up black lights or vibration-frequency moth traps in poplar forests and nurseries to kill a large number of adult flat-bodied caterpillar moths, reducing their population effectively.
4. Chemical control. During the period of larval damage, you can choose 90% crystal dichlorvos, or malathion 1000 to 2000 times dilution, or 80% dichlorvos emulsion, or 50% phoxim emulsion 1500 to 2000 times dilution for spraying. Using biological pesticides such as Trichogramma dendrolimi or Beauveria bassiana 1000 to 1500 times dilution is economically effective and does not cause environmental pollution, and is recommended for use in parks and street trees. As poplar trees are tall, a long spray rod is needed to spray the tree canopy.
The above is the specific content of the identification and control of the poplar caterpillar moth. If it can be of help to you, remember to visit the website often!