How To: Identify and control the pine tip moth

How to Identify and control the pine tip moth

This is a tutorial for controlling the Pine tip moth. Identifying and controlling the pine tip moth consists of studying the small plants of pine. The attacks on pine trees is caused by Nantucket pine tree moth found along the Rio Grande Valley as far north as Espanola, it has spread to South Arizona and California by importing grafts from Mexico. The moths are 3/8 inch long reddish brown to grey in color. They attack the main stem of the baby plant and the pines instead of growing vertical grows side ways and make the tree round or lollipop shaped. Insecticides are effective only after the eggs have hatched between 23 to 30 April. The trees that are affected are Afghan Pine, Austrian Pine, Scotch Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Mugal Pine, Japanese Black Pine. Trees that remains unaffected are Pinon Pine, Lumber Pine, Southwestern White Pine, Bristle Cone Pine. These moths attack for two generation only so it is necessary to control the first generation in spring. The moths are visible when trapped in a sticky trap or a part of the growing stem is enclosed in a plastic box and observed in warm climate.