Who is the golden tail: the appearance of butterflies and the nature of the caterpillars
In summer, in the evening, in the garden you can watch white fluffy butterflies with a bunch of reddish-yellow hairs on their abdomen, which slowly fly from one plant to another. These are golden tails, pests of fruit and deciduous crops. Their caterpillars are very voracious and eat buds, buds and leaves on trees.
Content
Goldentail: photo
Description of the butterfly and caterpillar
Name: Goldentail, golden silkworm or golden worm
Latin: Euproctis chrysorrheaClass: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Lepidoptera - Lepidoptera
Family: Erebids - Erebidae
 | Habitats: | parks, orchards, mixed forests |
 | Countries: | throughout Europe and Russia |
 | Features: | caterpillar - dangerous and very voracious |
Goldentail colony.
The butterfly is white, in males the abdomen is brownish-red at the end, and in females it is mostly brownish. Some individuals have yellowish-brown bristles at the end of the abdomen. Wingspan 30-35 mm.
Caterpillars are gray-black in color with long hair and a white-red pattern. Their length is 35-40 mm.
Often twisted leaves on fruit crops are a sign of the appearance of the golden silkworm. But not everything needs to be attributed to him - there are still insects that twist the leaves and wrap in cobwebs.
Distribution
Goldentail butterflies are found almost throughout Europe, in the Mediterranean and in North America, where it was brought 100 years ago.
The favorite place of residence of the pest is the natural thickets of hawthorn and blackthorn. Young, well-warmed shoots become a place where the insect arranges a nest.
Goldentail breeding
Caterpillars of the second or third instar hibernate in nests twisted with a web of several leaves attached to branches. Up to 200 caterpillars can be in one nest.
After 40-50 days, the caterpillars pupate and among the leaves, silky cocoons appear on the branches, from which butterflies emerge after 10-15 days.
After emerging from the cocoon, Goldentails do not need food, they immediately mate and lay eggs. On the underside of a leaf, one butterfly can lay 200 to 300 eggs. She covers the masonry on top with her golden hairs from the abdomen to protect against birds. After laying eggs, the butterfly dies.
Caterpillars emerge from eggs on the 15-20th day, reaching the second or third age, they make nests and stay for the winter. Only one generation of butterflies appears per season.
Harm from goldfish
Goldentail damages fruit trees, also eats bushes and deciduous trees, leaving the plants bare. They prefer to eat:
- apple trees;
- pear;
- cherry;
- cherry;
- linden;
- oak.
The caterpillar is poisonous, after touching it, a person may develop a rash, after healing of wounds, scars may remain, and breathing problems are also possible.
She enters list of the most dangerous caterpillars.
Methods of struggle
To control pests in the spring, trees are treated with insecticides. You can also carry out the processing of folk remedies. Equally important is prevention.
- Having found spider nests of leaves on the trees, they are immediately collected and destroyed. Caterpillars are poisonous, wear gloves to protect your hands.
- In autumn, after the leaves fall, the remaining nests on the trees are collected from twisted leaves and burned.
- Trapping belts will help keep caterpillars away from their favorite treats.
- Caterpillars Goldentails love titmouses, jays, orioles. You can attract birds by placing bird feeders in your garden.
Catch life hacks of an experienced gardener in the fight against caterpillars!
Conclusion
Goldentail caterpillars damage deciduous crops and fruit trees. Don't let the cute fluttering butterflies fool you. The use of available pest control methods will give a good result and protect the plants from their attack.
