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Fruit & Orchards

apple tree leaf infestation

16 years ago

I wish I could post a picture of what some of my leaves look like... I planted these 3 apple trees from a nursery this past spring, and during the summer months, I noticed a tight "web" on some of the leaves (almost like a spider nest), with little black specks all over. The leaves are being eaten - with yellow / brown / holes all through them - many times leaving nothing but the veins of the leaves in tact. I didn't notice any bugs or anything until later - when there was a real small (barely see it) worm on the underside of a few of the leaves. I'm assuming that's the culprit. I have a picture of a "nest" or whatever it was, so if you would like to see it - please email at faulfamily@tds.net - and I'll send it. I would really like to know what this is & how to get rid of it!!!

Thanks much,

Josh and Julie

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Comments (3)

geraldo
16 years ago
I can only guess that it might be tentiform leaf miner. It has been years since I have seen it. How the time flies, come to think of it, it has been decades. If it is TLM , then do nothing for it and it will be cleaned up by parasites in subsequent years. Where are you in WA, give us a zone.
faulfamily
Original Author
16 years ago
It's outside of Vancouver, WA - the SW part of the state. I've looked over a few places on the web searching for tentiform leaf miner... The green larvae looks familiar, but the leaf damage is WAY worse in my case - large fractions of the leaves are completely missing other than the veins. And I haven't seen any pictures on the net of the cacoon area - to compare to mine. The adult moth I saw in a couple of pictures shows a dark brown color to it, but I went & looked on my leaves, I see some very small moths with a green color, but the same shape & size. I wonder if it's a different variety of this pest?
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Hi Harvestman- No need to feel bad. On the contrary, you opinion (which was shared by a couple other posters) gives me a more balanced, and probably accurate, view of Liberty. Perhaps weÂll get a couple cool summers, and IÂll wonder what the heck I ever saw in it! In addition to all the normal variables that affect an apple, (location, climate, soil, weather, etc), I think this is a good example of when we evaluate a particular apple (i.e. I like it/ I hate it), we see that not everyoneÂs criteria is the same: A) A commercial growerÂs #1 criteria might simply be the nameÂ any name that isnÂt recognized by the public might not sell well. B) Perhaps a moderately-apple-educated grower like found on this forum might have flavor to be their #1 criteria. They know how to care for apples, and they want the best possible product. C) Perhaps a home-grower might have low maintenance as their #1 criteria. After all, anything that they grow themselves will taste much better than anything found in the stores, and really, theyÂre too busy with work and taking the kids to soccer practice to worry about their apple tree. I think IÂm somewhere between B & C. Perhaps youÂre somewhere between A & B? Anyhow, in the future, I really look forward to trying some of these really exceptional flavored ones that people keep talking about! Thanks as always for all your advice (even when it isn't what I necessarily want to hear! :-) ), -Glenn
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im figuring its about five feet off the ground. i do not know what kind of animals you have around there but to name a few would be deer, goats, cows, anything that is at least as tall as the tree. we made a tree in our front yard deer resistance by putting up four inch yard fencing five feet tall. took t post drove into ground and rapped the fencing around it.
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jellyman
16 years ago
Fauls:

Whatever you have, you might want to spray your apple trees with dormant oil a couple of times during the winter months; once early, and again just before bud break. If insects are overwintering on your trees, the oil will suffocate the eggs. Make sure you clean up fallen fruit and leaves around the trees in fall, since some insects can overwinter below the trees as well.

It would be nice to know exactly what pest you are dealing with, but even nicer to get rid of them. Oil sprays are a good routine preventive treatment for all pome fruits. It is always best to stop them before they get started.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

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