Caterpillars on Apple Tree
How to identify and get rid of caterpillars on Apple Tree. Size: 5–50mm.
Identifying caterpillars on Apple Tree
Chewed, ragged holes in leaves and sometimes tunnelling directly into developing fruit, with webbing or frass (droppings) visible in heavy infestations.
Life cycle
Egg → caterpillar → pupa → adult butterfly/moth. Several generations per year depending on species.
Damage to Apple Tree
Caterpillars can defoliate significant portions of the canopy and tunnel into fruit, directly reducing both tree vigour and harvest quality.
How to treat caterpillars on Apple Tree
Hand-pick visible caterpillars, apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray, which specifically targets caterpillars, and remove any webbed nests of tent caterpillars promptly.
Preventing caterpillars on Apple Tree
Inspect the tree regularly in spring for egg masses and young caterpillars, and encourage birds and parasitic wasps in the orchard.