White stuff on my apple tree

[Tuatha]

A tree surgeon acquaintance of mine suggested that I post pictures of the odd (& slightly wet) white stuff that has attacked my apple tree (2nd year running now).

 

Any idea what it is & is it curable?

 

SG

[Gollum]

wooly aphid

[Tuatha]

Pyracantha and Cotoneaster horizontalis - ugly looking spud. "Brush off before heavily infested"... bit late for that now. Will brush off anyway then treat as per wikipedia page. Thanks a lot.

[eggsarascal]

Pyracantha and Cotoneaster horizontalis - ugly looking spud. "Brush off before heavily infested"... bit late for that now. Will brush off anyway then treat as per wikipedia page. Thanks a lot.

 

Let me get this right!....did you not ask what was wrong with this tree? Then tell us what the problem is.

[Tuatha]

No I looked it up on wikipedia after Gollum posted what caused it.

[eggsarascal]

No I looked it up on wikipedia after Gollum posted what caused it.

 

Fair play.....it's been a long weekend!

[Tuatha]

np, & I copied the wrong bit... it's Eriosoma lanigerum apparently. Anyway, it's a bug, so I can kill it & maybe next year have apples again.

[agg221]

Woolly aphid won't have much effect on fruiting, even at that level. It may make the fruit smaller or increase the level of June drop if the tree is stressed, but that's about it.

 

Lack of fruit will be more down to the season, or the lack of a suitable pollinating tree/pollinating insects.

 

But yes, it's a bug and you can kill it. The wax coating on the aphids limits the effectiveness of contact insecticides, but two approaches which give reasonable control are to use a systemic insecticide, or to spray with soft soap solution which won't work on its own too well, but if applied properly will then allow you to knock them off with a pressure washer, drowning them in the process. If you try the latter, be careful not to get so close with the lance that you damage the bark.

 

Alec

[Foliage]

Wooly aphid or Meally bug as the americans call it.

 

Have seen it seriously damage orchards and encourages canker to take hold best to get on to it quickly with a systemic as has been mentioned many available from agri stores

 

Also brush infected areas with methylated spirit,can remain dormant for a season don't

ignore it . D.