Apple trees as bug magnets

This is the opposite of the “No Spray” list.

I noticed one post in that list saying that Redfield attracts plum curculio. It occurred to me that we might plant some varieties as magnets for various pests, then spray only or mostly those trees. Anyone have suggestions for the best bug bait?

It doesn’t have to be apples, of course. Maybe the best bait for plum curculio is plums. Maybe codling moth can’t resist some rose or quince. Even better.

Good idea, but practically may not work due to the plethora of wild hosts around you, not to mention neighbors with ignored fruit trees (I have a lot of these neighbors!).

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I have 5 different apple trees and the Gala attracted like 10 times more aphids than the others

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Maybe hang molsses traps instead of going thru all that trouble.

Hang plastic traps (empty 2-liter soda bottles) filled halfway with molasses, vinegar, and water, from tree limbs at petal fall.

You can make your own codling moth traps with empty half-gallon milk jugs or 2-liter soda bottles, apple cider vinegar and molasses.

Video

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LOL! Yeah, I worried about that.

Many years ago, I hung pheromone traps for Japanese beetles in my yard. I killed thousands. I was emptying quart bags filled with bugs. Sadly, probably 99% came from other yards.

Thanks! I think j I did this by accident last year. I was trying to catch yellow jackets but I ended up with hundreds of moths. At the time I used apple juice with erythritol but then I added vinegar.

I was winging it. I can definitely can use a proven “secret recipe.”

The bait tree works in some cases. Like mulberries and birds. A bait tree for PC and others is a bad idea. You are just giving them a place to breed and spread. I would stick with the traps if you do not want to spray. Also, I found getting rid of the worst helped me when dealing with peach rot and bugs. Bugs really do favor some varieties more than others.

I wrote down that Mount Royal European and Alderman plum tree are PC magnets, but that was probably collected information from this discussion list. I think I have a few other magnets written down elsewhere if I can find them.

Can’t say that I have any apple trees planted as bug magnets although my Stayman tree seems to be the hardest hit. However, I do have a couple planted as “deer magnets” that are about 3/4 mile from my home orchard. Doesn’t seem to be working though. I like to call them “hooved rats”. :confounded:

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I tried molasses traps in plastic containers just to see what would be drawn to it. Sadly what I found was that the squirrels were big fans and chewed the bottles up rendering them useless. So if that is an avenue of consideration I would suggest glass or metal containers.

Thanks. I’ve got such a huge deer population that all my trees are fenced. If not, there’d be no trees!