Integrated pest management resources for Michigan Michigan State University home IPM Michigan home

IPM Scouting in Stone Fruits

Search

Christmas trees
Field crops
Fruit
Home and yard
Nursery and landscape
Turfgrass
Vegetable


Diagnostic Services
Soil/Plant Nutrient Lab
Enviro-weather
Regional IPM Center
Pesticide safety
Organic: New Ag Network
Invasive species
Sustainable ag & food systems


MSU ANR departments
MSU Extension

Site index
Contacts/permissions
Green fruitworm (or speckled green fruitworm) - Orthosia hibisci (Guenee)
IPM scouting in stone fruits > green fruitworm (or speckled green fruitworm)
Immature larvae of the green fruitworm (GFW) feed on flower buds and new foliage. Mature larvae feed on blossoms, developing fruit and leaves. Early feeding injury often causes fruit to abort. Fruit remaining on the tree after GFW feeding exhibit deep holes sealed over with corky scar tissue.

Monitoring: Use pheromone traps to monitor for adult emergence, generally around budburst in Michigan. Visually inspect fruit and leaves for larvae or signs of larval feeding. Examine 20 fruit clusters per tree (outside, inside, and top of tree) on five trees per orchard. Treat if there is an average of two or more larvae per tree or evidence of fresh feeding.
Green fruitworm
Newly hatched larvae are 2-3 mm in length and have a grayish-green body with a brown head and thoracic shield. Mature larvae are 30-40 mm long, and pale green with white speckles and white longitudinal stripes.
Green fruitworm adult Blossom damage from larval feeding Damaged fruit
Adults are large gray-brown moths with wingspans of about 40mm. Above, blossom damage from larval feeding. Damaged fruit
Additional information
This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Stone Fruits by David Epstein, Larry J. Gut, Alan L. Jones and Kimberly Maxson-Stein. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2840).
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
Email the web developer.
Updated 7/24/07