In autumn, find tick eggs on an apple tree and check it in spring

After leaf fall on an apple tree, you can notice the risk of European red fruit mite in advance. He winters with eggs, so in autumn with a hand magnifier, they are not looking for adult mites, but small reddish eggs near the buds, fruit spurs, bases of short shoots, in forks and roughness of the bark.

It is better to check several branches on different sides of the crown. Single eggs are a reason to mark the tree and return to it in the spring. If noticeable clusters occur on multiple branches, the risk of high numbers next spring is higher.

When buds bloom and young leaves appear, such trees are examined more often. Fine light speckling, and with strong settlement and bronze leaves show that mites already feed on the leaf plate.

A few eggs found in the fall do not require processing. The decision on drugs against ticks is made according to the actual number in the spring and the degree of damage. Unsystematic treatments can reduce the number of natural predators and weaken the natural containment of the pest.

For prevention avoid unnecessary acaricidal and insecticide treatments. In spring, the trees are primarily controlled, where in autumn there were numerous masonry or in summer there was already bronze leaves.

Period of relevance: approximately from October 10 to November 20 for the middle strip of Russia / Central non-black earth zone. Why: the inspection is carried out after leaf fall, when the branches are clearly visible, but until a stable snow cover and severe frosts, making it difficult to inspect.