What's eating my malus floribunda?

Malus floribunda (Japanese crab apple) is susceptible to woolly aphid on bark, winter moth caterpillars on foliage, and codling moth in its small fruit. Apple sawfly also targets young fruitlets. Birds eat the profuse yellow-red fruit in autumn. Woolly aphid causes the most structural long-term damage on this species.

White waxy wool masses on shoots and bark; feeding causes gall-like bark swellings and weakens branch structure over time. Brush colonies away with methylated spirit and a stiff brush. Plant oil or fatty acid sprays target active crawlers.

Larvae tunnel into young fruitlets just after petal fall, causing a ribbon scar on the skin and early fruit drop. Hang white sticky traps near blossom to catch adults. Cultivate around the base to expose pupae to birds.

Spring caterpillars eat flower buds and newly opened leaves, holing foliage and reducing photosynthetic capacity. Grease bands in October; pyrethrin or spinosad spray for active larval populations through April.