Further to the warning by Sheryn Clothier, New Zealand Tree Crops Association’s publicity officer (in Issue 276) about the spread of the pest, guava moth, I have good news.
I work part-time at Palmers and we now stock the pheromone trap to capture the male guava moth. We also have an excellent ‘green’product, Yates Success, to use on the caterpillars. This is effective on the larval stage and stops them feeding in three days. I hope this helps gardeners troubled by this pest.
J Ross, Whangarei.
Male moths are attracted to the pheromone in these traps and become stuck on their sticky bases, Northland Regional Council advises on its website. Trapping male moths like this may help to lower the population by reducing the number of males available to mate with females. The phero-mone caps and sticky trap bases can be replenished every six weeks, the council says. – Susie.
