| Home > Pest management > codling moth |
| There are typically two generations of codling moth (CM) per year in Michigan, with a partial third generation in exceedingly warm years. |
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Fruit injury caused by CM is of two types. A deep entry is where the larva enters into the center of the fruit and feeds on seeds. (See page 7 for a comparison with Oriental fruit moth.) Brown frass can usually be seen ex-truding from the entry hole. A sting is a shallow entry where the larva does some feeding but does not gain entry into the fruit. |
| Deep fruit entry with frass extruding on left, CM sting on the right. |
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| Adults are about 9 mm in length, with alternating bands of gray and white, and
a patch of bronze scales at wing tips. |
The mature larva is about 15 mm in length and is creamy white tinged with pink |
Newly hatched larvae are white with black head capsules and are about
2 mm long. |
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| Suggested monitoring: Use of one trap for every 2 to 2.5 acres is optimal; 1 trap per 5-8 acres is acceptable in large, uniform blocks. Use high load (10X) lures in mating disruption block traps; use standard (1X) in non-mating disruption block traps. If using red septa lures, replace them every 3 weeks first generation; every 2 weeks second generation. Other lure types are available. Some will last for an entire generation. Check with manufacturers to determine replacement intervals. Fruit should always be visually inspected in conjunction with trapping. Concentrate visual inspections in the upper canopy and along orchard borders. |
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Suggested thresholds: A cumulative catch of 3-5 codling moths in any one trap over time may indicate the need for a spray (see table with explanation below). Do not total captures from more than one trap to attain the threshold.
When traps are first placed in the orchard, they should be checked twice weekly. First sustained moth capture is the date at which the first moth is trapped, provided moths are captured on two successive trapping dates.
If using a low rate of mating disruption (<275 dispensers/acre), plan on first cover at 250 GDD past biofix. |
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| View current Michigan growing degree day accumulations 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. |
| Codling moth and Oriental fruit moth larvae cause similar types of fruit damage. Both will enter fruit from either the calyx end or from the side of the apple. Find more information about the Oriental fruit moth. |
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CM feeds in the center of the fruit on
flesh and seeds. OFM generally feeds
on flesh away from the center, but can
occasionally feed at the center as well. |
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Mature larvae of OFM can be
differentiated from CM larvae by
the presence of an anal comb
located ventrally at the posterior
end
of a larva. The comb can be
seen with a hand lens. |
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- For more monitoring information and evaluation of available pesticides:
Michigan Fruit Management Guide
- A Practical Guide to Scouting Apple Orchards – a DVD showing how to scout apple orchards.
- MSU Diagnostic Services for assistance in pest identification.
- MSU Fruit Crop Advisory Team Alert newsletters for current pest/crop conditions.
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| This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Michigan Apples by David Epstein, Larry J. Gut and George W. Sundin. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2720). |
