Do I need to spray??

[cheops]

With plum moth damage last year I bought a plum moth trap several weeks ago. Everywhere I read it said moth emerge in early evenings from end of May. The instructions with the trap also said if in warm sheltered urban gardens put trap out from mid May. So last Thursday the 15th of May I duly put the trap out amongst the trees. That evening five were caught, seven the next night and in total there are now over twenty trapped moths. I realise that rather than putting the trap out early I should have done so even earlier. My question is --if I am catching this amount already how many am I gonna catch in June when I assume the bulk of the moths will emerge. Is the infestation high and gonna get higher and therefore should I spray? Every maggot last year in every plum was killed and yet look at the moths around already this year. If people suggest I spray what spray do I use? Do I spray the whole trees or just the hanging fruit? All adice appreciated.

[mothhawk]

Pheromone traps are used to estimate the number of male moths that are about. The idea is that when you are catching the maximum number of moths (you should pick off the stuck ones each day so you know how many fresh moths you've caught), then you can calculate the time to spray to kill all the emerging new caterpillars before they enter the fruit.

Here's some more info
http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/image/data/...20MOTHComp.pdf

[Two_Sheds]

Everywhere I read it said moth emerge in early evenings from end of May.

"egg hatching may be earlier or later, due to the weather conditions"
with climate change warming our winters, pests like these are going to be earlier & worser


"Do not spray trees in flower due to the danger to pollinating insects"



Plum moth/RHS Gardening