The newer trees are 1, 2, & 3 yrs. in the ground this coming spring. Not bearing yet - maybe some this year? My camp is in northern - central Pa. where the apple trees are planted.
We do have a few older apple trees ( 40 yrs. + ) of unknown variety. The closest one to any new apple tree is about 40 yds. The older ones are about 35 ft. tall and have had bears climb them numerous times. One is in some pines and we started to release it last spring - the others are out in the open. They are deer apples and have not had a spray regimen that I know of. Only the new trees have been sprayed with Sevin every 14 days last year up to Labor Day.
I didn't notice any egg clusters , but I may not have known what they were if they were tiny. I plan to study up on the common pests so I know what I'm looking at if I see something. I should say that these trees won't be babied as a home orchard or commercial grower would, just because they're at hunting camp. The guys who are there every week all year long are older and in not-so-great-shape, so they can't tend to them even though they're there a lot. I've read that the first 5 yrs. are the most critical to get the trees established so they can fight off diseases and insect pests better than if they were young. Being for the deer, we don't have the time or able manpower to be able to baby them & give them " 4-star " treatment like I wish we could.
The new trees are all planted in the open and get plenty of sun. They're on higher ground for air movement & not in low frost pockets. That's our situation, Maya.