Monitoring leaf miner

[William]

I took this photo recently on a horse chestnut tree in Bury, Lancs. I understand from an article in the Arb Magazine that they may now be causing long term damage to hc.

 

I recorded the extent of leaf damage at What's happening to our conker trees? - a nationwide study on leaf miner movement (sorry if this link has been mentioned on here before but i'm new to the site.) If not done so already others could add locations where they have seen leaf miner - particularly in north England / Scotland.

[David Humphries]

Hello William, welcome to Arbtalk.

 

here's a few bits and pieces from earlier threads from the site..........

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/tree-health-care/2153-cameraria-ohridella.html

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/tree-health-care/6984-who-can-find-first-hc-leaf-miner.html

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/tree-health-care/4666-leaf-minor-chestnut.html

 

 

 

David

 

 

 

.

[William]

Thanks David

 

I heard about the monitoring project on the radio a few months back - its worth a listen if you've got time.

BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - Material World, 10/06/2010

It ties in with a previous thread on leaf miner predetors.

[janey]

Nice picture . TBH, I have become so accustomed to the yearly leaf damage here in London that I forget that it's not countrywide yet. Good on you for doing the monitoring.

[skyhuck]

I took this photo recently on a horse chestnut tree in Bury, Lancs. I understand from an article in the Arb Magazine that they may now be causing long term damage to hc.

 

I recorded the extent of leaf damage at What's happening to our conker trees? - a nationwide study on leaf miner movement (sorry if this link has been mentioned on here before but i'm new to the site.) If not done so already others could add locations where they have seen leaf miner - particularly in north England / Scotland.

 

Wow thats getting closer to me!!!

 

On Home planet on Radio 4 last week they mentioned the study, but surgested that the midlands was as far north as it had got!!

 

If yours the most northern yet recorded???

[William]

 

If yours the most northern yet recorded???

 

I don't know, but I understand that they've had it at Myerscough near Preston for the first time this year.

[skyhuck]

I don't know, but I understand that they've had it at Myerscough near Preston for the first time this year.

 

Really!!

 

I will keep my eyes open!!!

[nepia]

Does anyone yet know the long term prognosis here? Leaves are going brown in July so I would think that the trees simply can't sustain such a short lived sugar factory year on year.

Are we headed for a mass cull of HC - in the South anyway - ?

[William]

I hope not.

As far as I'm aware the long term prognosis is still unknown. Although I agree that a tree can't be functioning at 100% if the leaves are dying prematurely each year. Personally I wouldn't cull a hc tree just because it had leaf miner - i'd remove as many dead leaves as I could in autumn to break the cycle.

[janey]

The official line is that leaf damage by 'miners causes no long term damage to the trees as by the time major defoliation occurs, enough starch reserves have been produced and stored for the following growing season.

 

But to my mind, continual year on year defoliation has to have a stressing effect and weaken the tree, possibly allowing other pathogens a chance to colonise.