Fruitful Land

Description:

Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) is a direct pest of apples, it  is the proverbial "worm in the apple" pest.  Codling moth is native to Europe and was introduced into the United States.It has two to three generations from May through September. It attacks walnuts, and other tree fruits as well.

The adult moths are trapped to target egg emergence and larva control. Adults are 9 mm long, they are grayish with chocolate brown patches and some bronze metallic scales on the tip of each forewing.

Damage:

The females lay eggs on fruit or leaves and the black-headed yellow larvae attack the fruit immediately upon hatching. Each larva burrows into the fruit, eats for around three weeks, then leaves the fruit to overwinter and pupate elsewhere.

The larval stage feeds inside the fruit and in the seeds. They are pink/white caterpillars with a dark brown head. The are about 15mm long. The larva produce reddish brown frass at the entry point into the fruit.

See Detailed Guide to Codling Moth Damage

Internal damage can be extensive

Management:

The key to controlling Codling Moth is to apply the control measures at the right time. The appearance and the hatching othe first generation can vary by 2-3 weeks depending on the weather and the season. It is worth investing some time learning about the signs and timing of the persistant apple pest. If you control Codling Moth larvea as they emerge at the first generation, you will have little damage for the rest of the year.

The easiest method is to apply regular cover sprays beginning at petal fall and continuing through July every 10-14 days.

Download sheet from Minnesota Dept of Ag - Codling moth (PDF: 152 KB / 2 pages)

See our Seasonal Work Calendar for more details.