Pest control Long Beach often involves dealing with the clearwing moths. These are pests notorious for boring holes in wood. This is done by the larvae. Their hosts include oak, ash, alder, pine, fir, birch, willow and poplar. These moths also infest stone fruit tress such as apricot, peach, plum and cherry. Being able to identify these pests is important when you want to control them. This is more so when considering that the damage they cause can easily be mistaken for that of other pests.
Identification
When trying to identify the presence of clearing moths, you need to search for frass. When digging tunnels in wood, the larvae will push frass out. The frass might be mixed with gummy tree exudates. You will be able to find the opening of the tunnel by looking for a dust of frass. You may also spot brownish purple cases on the ground or protruding from the bark of the infested tree. This is common when the larva matures.
In appearance, the clearwing moths have long narrow front wings. Its hind wings are short and wide. Most species have clear front wings. These moths will be seen flying during the day or twilight. It is easy to mistake these insects with paper wasps since they both have black and yellow coloring. The colors of the clearwing moths will vary depending on the specie and sex. Pest control companies Long Beach are able to identify them easily. Mostly, these moths have the following colors: orange, dark blue, yellow or red on black. Adults will not damage plants and they have a lifespan of 7 days. Larvae cause the most damages because of their boring tendencies. Most species of the clearwing moths only have a single generation per year.
Damage
After eggs are deposited by the female in crevices, wounded areas or cracks of a tree, they will hatch and larvae will emerge. The larvae feed on the plant by tunneling through the bark. The tunnels will damage tissues that conduct food and water. This causes the plant to weaken and it can even die if the menace is not controlled. Pest control Long Beach should be sought as soon as possible since the feeding habits of the larvae can weaken and even kill branches. The branches will eventually break.
Management
You can kill the clearwing months by crashing. However, when the infestation is extreme, you should contact pest control companies Long Beach who will treat with beneficial nematodes. This method kills the larvae. You can also use insecticides. The most recommended method is that of using the natural enemies of clearwing moths such as braconid wasps. Nematodes can also be mail-ordered.
Another method you can use is cultural control. Ensuring your plants are in good health will help prevent infestation. Females will not deposit eggs on plants that lack cracks or crevices.
