Monitoring of the vapourer moth (Orgyia antiqua Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

The vapourer moth (Orgyia antiqua L.) is a polyphagous pest occuring on many trees and bushes, including apple, currants and raspberry. In 2013 and 2014 monitoring of this pest using pheromone traps to attracting males was carried out in apple orchards at the Research Institute of Horticulture. Butterflies of the vapourer moth were caught on pheromone traps placed in all monitored orchards however: there was no damage to the leaves caused by caterpillars. Adult flight of O. antiqua usually began in the second half of June and ended in late of October or even early November. The second generation of butterflies was more numerous in monitored orchards than the first one. The main flight of males of the first generation took place in July and another in September. The vapourer moth population was not abundant in the monitored orchards and there was no need to control it.