Walnut tree shoot problems – addendum

With the help of www.internationalpheromone.co.uk and Sam Jones DPhil. MSc. BSc (Hons). BSc (Hons). Scientific Consultant for International Pheromone Systems Ltd, we aim to narrow down what the bugs are.

I have sourced from the above company a couple of Unitraps and Pityophthorus juglandis (walnut twig beetle) pheromone inserts. These being hung in the canopy to hopefully attract the beetles. The beetles being attracted to the pheromones in the trap, then slide down into the trap bottom. Within the bottom is some IPA (isopropyl alcohol) which is cheap alcohol. This fluid preserves the beetles for future identification. the traps are to be checked at weekly intervals. The only drawback is that I could not get the traps higher  into the tree canopy, as there is too much vegetation at this time of year. Maybe during winter I will throw up a lanyard to get them higher up.