Magnolia Trees and Moths
Magnolia trees are prized for their beautiful foliage and showy blooms in pink, white, purple, yellow or green. These plants typically grow as small trees or large shrubs. They are used as ornamentals or grown for their wood. Moths seen flying near magnolias are often the adult forms of boring insects that damage magnolias through their larvae feeding underneath the bark. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Magnolias are most commonly infested with peach tree borers that damage the trees in its larval form. Adult peach tree borers are moths seen flying from host trees in the spring or summer months. Once the moths mate, they fly to a magnolia that serves as its host and lay eggs in the tree's bark, in crevices or wounds. The eggs hatch within 10 to 14 days. The larvae bore into the magnolia bark where they feed and mature.
Effects
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Magnolias infested with peach tree borers have entry wounds on the trunk and limbs of trees. Sawdust from the insect's boring often fills these entry wounds. Once inside the tree, the larvae feed on the internal wood. The larger the larvae become, the more wood tissue they consume. Infested magnolias suffer from dieback, weakness and slow decline. Heavily infested magnolias eventually die.
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Cultural Control
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Peach tree borer moths do not damage magnolia trees, but the eggs they lay hatch into damaging larvae. Once the larvae are underneath the wood of host trees, they are much more difficult to control because the bark protects them from insecticides, birds and wildlife. Pheromone traps are helpful in alerting home gardeners when adult moths are flying in the area. Sticky traps may capture these moths before they lay their eggs on trees. Hang traps in trees early in the spring and monitor it each week until you see adult moths flying. Since adult peach tree borer moths lay their eggs in wounds on tree trunks, avoid damaging your trees while mowing. Avoid pruning your magnolia trees until after boring moth flight periods to avoid infestation.
Chemical Control
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Adult peach tree borer moths do not damage magnolia trees. Their larvae cause the damage. Once the larvae are underneath the host tree's bark, they are much more difficult to control because the bark protects them from insecticides, birds and wildlife. Pheromone traps are helpful in alerting home gardeners when adult moths are in the area. Sticky traps capture these moths before they lay their eggs on trees. Hang traps in trees early in the spring and monitor them each week until you see adult moths flying. Since adult peach tree borer moths lay their eggs in tree wounds, avoid damaging your trees while mowing. Avoid pruning your magnolia trees until after boring moth flight periods to avoid infestation.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
