Homemade Bug Catcher

We have a small orchard in our yard.  Two pear trees, a few peach trees and several apple trees.  Oh, and the cherry tree we just planted.  We aren’t wild about spraying the trees with pesticides, so last year we tried this homemade bug catcher.  By the end of the season we had LOTS of bugs in the jugs and only a few worms in our fruit.  (You know the joke, “What’s worse than biting into an apple to find a worm?  Finding half a worm!”  The kids think that is HILARIOUS – I suppose because they can relate!)  Anyway, here’s what the jugs look like hanging in the trees.  They do look a little odd – our neighbors asked what they were last year. 

But, they definitely catch some bugs!  Here’s a picture of the inside after being out just 2 days.

I hope all of these moths wound up in here before they laid any eggs on my trees!

Fruit Tree Bug Catcher

Slice a banana peel and put it into a milk jug.  Mix 1 cup sugar and 1 cup vinegar.  Pour into the jug.  Fill about half full with water.  Hang from your tree.  We put them out when the trees start blooming.

Be sure to check out other gardening ideas at the Petersonclan’s Garden Club!