Nicole2

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Oh dear, I have no idea what has happened to my text above!  Sorry

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Thanks for the advice about staking.

I have also found out what the bugs are....<span class="yiv1365101254st"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Zeuzera pyrina<span style="color: #1f497d;">(Leopard moth) which <span style="color: #1f497d;">isn’t a notifiable pest and is<span style="color: #1f497d;"> widespread in the UK (mainly in the southern England and South Wales)<span style="color: #1f497d;">which<span style="color: #1f497d;"> feeds on a range of <span style="color: #1f497d;">deciduous trees.

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> So it seems that they are nothing unusual, thanks for all the suggestions and help.

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Yesterday I did some tree excavating, in search of some sort of borer.  45 mins later and 26cm of tree damage I found the culprits.  Two very fat looking borers.  Having done some more research I originally thought they were apple tree borers but they have got black dots on their bodies and all the images I have found were of plain cream bodies. Fingers crossed my tree will now survive.  Thanks very much for all your help. Enjoy the photos!

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Thank you everso much, I shall get researching borer grubs.

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Thanks, I shall try that but I have a feeling the creature is still making a home in my tree as there is more munched up red tree pellets each day I go an look.

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

Thanks for the great response but I am pretty definite that its not animals as I have a terrier (she is a rat and rabbit catcher) who lives outdoors.  I will however try out the wire suggestion.  I think its more likey to be an insect or beetle.  The tree is just over 2 inches in diameter so the hole is about half the thickness of the tree and depth of the hole now runs both up and down inside the trunk for about 4inches.  My biggest concern is that it is a parasite that will affect my other trees.  My first thought was to dig up the whole tree and burn it!  I am hoping that that won't be the case?

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

I have attached a couple of photos, I hope that helps.  The 'pellets' I think are munched up tree that are being spat out rather than fungus as when I touch them they fall to the ground.

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

What is eating my cooking apple tree?

What is eating my cooking apple tree?