apple leaf damage by tiny dark brown caterpillar - Ask Extension
what is this and what do I do about it? I did not see it in other articles on the website. A tiny, (less than 1/4 inch long) skinny, dark brown caterp...
Knowledgebase
apple leaf damage by tiny dark brown caterpillar #866803
Asked May 02, 2024, 3:43 PM EDT
what is this and what do I do about it? I did not see it in other articles on the website. A tiny, (less than 1/4 inch long) skinny, dark brown caterpillar found in the damaged, curled leaves I pulled off my 2yr old Honeycrisp apple trees. See photos. I live a few miles south of Kuebler Blvd., Salem.
Here's a link to a google photos album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wLYhVBW26Q3Z5M5u5
We have several other apple trees, other fruit trees, several years old. I have never sprayed them
Marion County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi, apologies for the long delay. Our online system was acting up!
I'm going to share this with our entomology expert and see if we can get an id. Is this the only insect that you saw or are there more? (They may need more photos to get to an accurate ID.)
I'm going to share this with our entomology expert and see if we can get an id. Is this the only insect that you saw or are there more? (They may need more photos to get to an accurate ID.)
Here is what I heard back from our entomologist:
"I saw there was a single small caterpillar in one of the photos. I can't identify the type of caterpillar from the photo, but suspect is could be one of the leafroller/leaftier species (Family: Tortricidae) that affect apples and other trees and shrubs. The amount of leaf distortion (i.e. numbers of leaves affected and pattern) looks like more than I would expect from the caterpillar though. Perhaps this is a disease?"
Has the problem gotten worse since you originally sent in the photos?
"I saw there was a single small caterpillar in one of the photos. I can't identify the type of caterpillar from the photo, but suspect is could be one of the leafroller/leaftier species (Family: Tortricidae) that affect apples and other trees and shrubs. The amount of leaf distortion (i.e. numbers of leaves affected and pattern) looks like more than I would expect from the caterpillar though. Perhaps this is a disease?"
Has the problem gotten worse since you originally sent in the photos?
