Moths damage threshold

INSPECTION AND DAMAGE THRESHOLD. The flight of the moths of the various tortrix species can be determined with pheromone traps. These traps do not provide any clues as to the possible extent of damage, however. Tortrix moths that feed on fruit are highly polyphagous and can also live outside the orchard. Pheromone traps can only be used to determine the species composition of the tortrix population. 

ENEMIES. Birds, especially coal-tits, are important enemies of winter moth caterpillars. The feeding requirements of these birds at brood time are very high (300 caterpillars/day for the brood). Coal-tits are capable of keeping winter moth infestation below the damage threshold. 

INSPECTION AND DAMAGE THRESHOLD. Winter moth Caterpillars are detected by visual inspection, with 100 blossom clusters being examined. The damage threshold is 10-15% of blossom clusters infested. 

ENEMIES. The most important enemies of the leaf-mining moths are bra-conid and chalcid wasps. These are able to keep all the leaf-mining moth species except Leucoptera scitella below the commercial damage threshold. 

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