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What are the control methods for the jujube inchworm pest?

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This insect, also known as the jujube looper, occurs commonly and is widely distributed across all jujube-producing regions of China, where its larvae feed on tender buds, flower buds and leaves. In years of severe outbreak, it can strip the jujube buds and leaves completely bare, resulting not only in no yield that year but also affecting fruit set the following year. [Occurrence pattern] This insect has 1 generation per year. It overwinters as pupae in the soil layer near the tree trunk. The following March, adults begin to emerge from the soil and eclose, with April being the peak period of eclosion and May the final period, the entire eclosion period lasting as long as about 60 days. The egg stage lasts 10-20 days, and hatching begins in mid-April,

This insect, also known as the jujube looper, occurs commonly and is widely distributed across all jujube-producing regions of China, where its larvae feed on tender buds, flower buds and leaves. In years of severe outbreak, it can strip the jujube buds and leaves completely bare, resulting not only in no yield that year but also affecting fruit set the following year.

[Occurrence pattern] This insect has 1 generation per year. It overwinters as pupae in the soil layer near the tree trunk. The following March, adults begin to emerge from the soil and eclose, with April being the peak period of eclosion and May the final period, the entire eclosion period lasting as long as about 60 days. The egg stage lasts 10-20 days, and hatching begins in mid-April, with early May being the peak period, the entire hatching period lasting as long as about 50 days. The larval damage period is from April to June, with the most severe damage occurring during May. In June the larvae begin to mature and gradually enter the soil to pupate.

[Control methods] (1) In autumn and winter, dig out the overwintering pupae of the jujube inchworm from the soil around the tree trunk and destroy them in a concentrated manner. In early March, tie a plastic film band 10-15 cm wide around the base of the trunk to prevent female moths from climbing the tree, and every morning and evening capture and kill the adults on the parts below the plastic band. (2) Apply pesticide at the stage when the larvae have just hatched to destroy them. Pesticides that can be used include 30% acephate emulsifiable concentrate at 500 times dilution, or 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 75% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate at 3000 times dilution, or 20% fenvalerate emulsifiable concentrate at 4000 times dilution, etc. Because the entire larval hatching period is relatively long, it is necessary to spray pesticide continuously 2-3 times, with an interval of 7-10 days between each application, all of which can achieve good results.

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