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| About codling moth of apples and pears | |
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| The codling moth is a pest of apples and pears in the United States and Canada. It causes two types of injury to the fruit: deep entries and stings. Deep entries are caused by larvae that eat through the skin into the side or from the calyx end. Brown frass can usually be seen spilling outside the hole. Sting entries occur where the larvae died before gaining entry or where they began tunneling, stopped and then began other feeding entrances elsewhere on the fruit. Second-generation larvae cause most of the damage. Chemical control is achieved by killing the hatching larvae before it gains entry to the fruit. These insects overwinter as mature larvae in cocoons on tree trunks or scaffolds. The first moth of the season usually appears shortly in late bloom or petal fall. Moths emerge usually during the morning hours and begin laying eggs within two or three days if the evening temperatures are favorable, i.e., above 62 degrees F. Eggs hatch in six to 14 days, depending on the temperatures. Larvae feed inside fruit for about three weeks, after which they leave to seek a cocooning site on the trunk or larger branches of the tree. The time spent in the cocoon depends on temperature and rainfall, but is usually 14 to 21 days. Many larvae do not transform to pupae during this time, however, but continue as larvae until the next spring. If insecticides are applied too late, larvae will tunnel into the fruit, where the insecticides do not affect them. Are conditions right for codling moth? Forecast models for codling moth available at Enviro-weather. Select a weather station from the map that is closest to your location. Then click on “fruit” for a list of weather resources and models for fruit production. |
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