The onslaught is only just beginning...

Not the moths in general, o no... it's far too cold for them.

 

I'm talking about the rather attractive little micro-moth Cameraria ohridella, a moth that was new to the UK as recent as 2002, and has since spread and affected hundreds of thousands of Horse-chestnut trees up and down the Country.

The affected tree where I work has only just come into leaf, ready for the caterpillars to impregnate them.

 

In a few weeks time, the sky will be filled with these tiny destructive little moths as they dance around in the sunshine

Later, the larvae will turn the leaves a ghastly crumpled up mess, but as far as we know so far, this doesn't affect the health of the tree. A few studies would suggest.

 

Bishop's Stortford - East Herts 

 

Cameraria ohridella

Horse-chestnut Tree