Birch moth is a pest butterfly. She is well known to the gardeners of our country, since more than one crop of fruit trees has disappeared through her fault. Fortunately, today scientists have studied the habits of this insect well, which made it possible to effectively deal with it.
Who's who?
The moth butterfly got its name from its appearance. The thing is that dark spots are scattered in a chaotic manner on her white body. A similar color is similar to that worn by birch bark. Otherwise, it is not much different from representatives of the huge family of moths.
Habitats
Birch moth is a very numerous species. Its representatives can be found almost throughout Europe. The only exception is the Far North, since the climate prevailing there is completely unsuitable for her lifestyle. The same rule applies to Russian lands.
It should be understood that trees are extremely important for the survival of this insect. Therefore, it tries to settle in areas where there is excellent access to them. The ideal environment isfruit plantations or forests. However, if there are none, then the birch moth can easily get by with a city park or square.
Insect Appearance
The moth is a small butterfly with a fairly thick body. The wingspan of adults is 4-5 cm. It is curious that initially all butterflies of this species had a light gray color with many dark pigments. However, in recent years, their color has undergone a strong change. So, the birch moth became much darker, and the once clear spots began to merge with the body altogether.
The reason for this was evolution: because of life in the city, butterflies were forced to adapt to the colors of the world, because otherwise they would become easy prey for birds. Those insects that live in the forest still remain true to their old war paint.
By the way, such metamorphoses are very useful for ecologists' research. By observing the color of the butterflies, they can determine how polluted their region is. With that in mind, it's nice to know that even the most vicious pest has its upsides.
Butterfly breeding season
With the advent of May, birch moths begin the mating season. Intoxicated with pheromones, they flock to each other and begin to circle in a ritual dance. And if the partner is suitable for the female, then soon they begin an act of intercourse. It lasts only a fraction of a second, but it is enough to pollinate the thousands of eggs that the "lady" is carrying.
After that, the moth is looking for a safe place for future offspring. Often this is a crack in the bark of a tree or a small hole in its trunk. On average, one female can lay from 700 to 2000 eggs. And just imagine how much food this colony needs at the moment of its awakening!
In addition, caterpillars develop throughout the summer. That is, they have three whole months to ruin the local gardens. And only with the advent of autumn they burrow into the ground, where they turn into pupae. And in the spring, the whole process of metamorphosis is repeated again in a circle rolled for centuries.
Tree Defiler
The birch moth caterpillar is one of the most dangerous pests living on the territory of the Russian Federation. Having hatched from an egg, they begin to eat everything that they meet on the way, whether it be leaves, buds, buds, flowers or fruits. And given their number, it is easy to guess that literally in one day they can destroy a good part of the greenery on the tree.
Therefore, gardeners try to process their trees in advance so that they are not attacked by omnivorous caterpillars. In addition, in this difficult struggle, some species of birds come to the aid of people. After all, if adult butterflies are protected by a camouflage color, then their offspring are easier and more nutritious profit.
Pest Control Methods
Gardeners are well aware of who the birch moth is. The photo of this pest is familiar to most of them. After all,as they say, you need to know the enemy by sight. As for the fight against caterpillars, it is best to use special chemicals for pollinating fruit trees ("Lipocid", "Gomelin").
Experienced gardeners are accustomed to hanging duct tape near their trees in advance. After all, firstly, they are environmentally friendly, and secondly, they easily catch uninvited guests. All you need to do is change the traps in time and destroy the butterflies caught in them.
