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Problem: Codling Moth - Cydia Pomonella
Hosts: Primarily apples but may also attack pears, crabapples, walnuts, quince and other fruits.
Description: Codling moth overwinters as a full-grown larva within a cocoon. Cocoons may be found under and between loose tree scales or under debris on the ground around the base of the tree. Pupation occurs in the spring at about the time the apple trees are in "pink show" and emergence of the adults happens when the trees enter "full bloom." Emergence occurs over at least a 6 to 7 week period.
Adults are a 3/4 inch long moth that has a cinnamon brown spot on the end of each wing tip. Female moths will have mated and begun laying eggs within two days after emergence. The majority of eggs are deposited on upper and lower leaf surfaces, but some are deposited on twigs and fruit.
Small, newly-emerged larvae immediately seek out the fruit into which they bore. After 3-4 weeks, fully matured larvae exit the fruit, spin their cocoon and pupate. Moths emerge two weeks later and deposit eggs for the second generation.
Stings and deep entries are the two visible types of damage attributable to codling moth larval feeding. Stings occur when larval boring activities are superficial and appear as minor blemishes less than 1/4 inch deep and consist of dead tissue. Deep entry damage occurs when larvae tunnel into and feed upon the developing seeds and flesh in apple cores. Given an apparent instinct for "clean" immediate surroundings, larvae expel frassy materials which appear as messy external extrusions around entry holes.
Recommendations: Newly emerged larvae seek protected sites under which they spin their cocoon. It is possible to provide a substitute location for this larval activity by banding tree trunks and/or large branches with 6-inch strips of burlap or cardboard. Larvae which congregate under these protected sites can be crushed.
Further reduction of pest populations can be achieved via the removal of debris in and around orchard sites under which larvae would complete their lifecycles.
Though the above methods will reduce populations, there is usually enough codling moths left to cause significant damage to fruit. Therefore, insecticides are needed for complete control.
Two major spray applications coincide with the appearance of the egglaying moths during
spring and summer. In general, additional cover sprays are applied to eliminate larvae
emerging from eggs deposited by "straggler moths" appearing after main brood
emergences. See the K-State Research and Extension pub "Fruit Pest Control"
(C-592) for more specific info.
References:
1. Codling Moth on Fruit Trees, Ohio State University Extension Factsheet HYG-2203-92
2. Codling Moth, Unpublished information sheet by Robert Bauernfiend, K-State Research and Extension
Last Update: 03/28/2003
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