Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

How to Get Rid of Bugs From Apple Trees

...
Apple-tree image by Beausoir from Fotolia.com

A properly planted apple tree can be a great source of pride and fruit for the home gardener. It can also be a source of agony if thorough pest management is not practiced. If left untreated, some common pests, including coddling moth, apple maggots and aphids can cause serious damage to apple trees. Fortunately, home owners can control the pests with or without chemicals and avoid injury to or loss of fruit.

Get rid of coddling moth by applying an insecticide. Fill a pump garden sprayer, or motorized sprayer for larger trees, with the liquid. Apply a fine mist of spray to the tree. Watch for some of the liquid to run off, an indicator that an adequate amount has been sprayed.

  • A properly planted apple tree can be a great source of pride and fruit for the home gardener.
  • Watch for some of the liquid to run off, an indicator that an adequate amount has been sprayed.

Apply the spray after a tree’s petal fall. Continue to treat an apple tree during the summer at 10- to 14-day intervals.

Thin the apple fruit as a non-chemical means of controlling coddling moth. Look for apples that show signs of coddling moth activity. (Reddish circles or “stings” on the fruit’s flesh are an early indicator of the pest. Advanced activity of the coddling moth is apparent by the presence of brown frass [manure], which the caterpillars produce.) Gather and discard any apples that exhibit these characteristics.

  • Apply the spray after a tree’s petal fall.
  • Thin the apple fruit as a non-chemical means of controlling coddling moth.

Trap apple maggots with red sticky spheres. Hang a minimum of six spheres on the outer branches of a tree just before the adult pest is expected to emerge. (Contact your local County Extension Service, as the date will vary from area to area.) Place the spheres on a sturdy stem about 12 inches above a cluster of fruit. Inspect the spheres two to three times a week and remove flies from the spheres.

Control aphid outbreaks on apple trees by using insecticidal soap. Fill a garden sprayer with insecticidal soap and spray liberally onto the apple tree. Thoroughly spray any pests that are visible. Apply the soap during the early morning or early evening to allow for slow drying.

  • Trap apple maggots with red sticky spheres.
  • Apply the soap during the early morning or early evening to allow for slow drying.

Warning

Protect yourself when spraying insecticide. Wear eye protection, and cover your skin and mouth and nose so you don't inhale any of the pesticide.

Related Articles

How to Control Codling Moth on Apple Trees
How to Control Codling Moth on Apple Trees
When to Spray Apple Trees for Worms
When to Spray Apple Trees for Worms
Insecticides for Apple Trees
Insecticides for Apple Trees
How to Get Rid of Apple Tree Worms
How to Get Rid of Apple Tree Worms
White Mold on an Apple Tree Trunk & Yellow Spotted Leaves
White Mold on an Apple Tree Trunk & Yellow Spotted...
When & What Do I Spray on Plum Trees?
When & What Do I Spray on Plum Trees?
How to Grow Winesap Apples
How to Grow Winesap Apples
How to Organically Care for Peach Tree Insects
How to Organically Care for Peach Tree Insects
How to Take Care of an Apple Tree
How to Take Care of an Apple Tree
Uses of Hedge Apples
Uses of Hedge Apples
How to Get Rid of an Inchworm Infestation
How to Get Rid of an Inchworm Infestation
Information on Green Worms in Apple Trees
Information on Green Worms in Apple Trees
How to Get Rid of Grub Worms in a Fruit Tree
How to Get Rid of Grub Worms in a Fruit Tree
Wasp Control
Wasp Control
When to Spray for Worms in Peach Trees?
When to Spray for Worms in Peach Trees?
Insects That Eat Papaya Plants in Florida
Insects That Eat Papaya Plants in Florida
Garden Guides
×