Codling moth

Did you spot a pest in your apple or pear orchard? The codling moth Cydia pomonella causes considerable losses in your orchard crops. What’s causing all these problems? The larvae, the so-called caterpillars, of this moth damage the fruit. Fortunately, biological control can help you out!

What damage can codling moths cause?

The larvae make brown-rimmed holes in the skin of the fruit and make a tunnel to the core to feed on protein-rich seeds.
In the tunnel the caterpillars lay brown, granulated excrements called frass.
Damaged fruit ripens earlier and falls off resulting in yield losses.
One larvae can damage several fruits.

How to control codling moths?

To monitor the caterpillars of the codling moth, you can rely on specific pheromones combined with a trap such as the Delta Trap^®.
For biological control, you can introduce the beneficial nematodes Carpocapsae-System.

What are the characteristics of codling moths?

The eggs of 1 mm are white, lens-shaped and are laid in a sticky mass produced by the females.
The recently hatched larvae of 2 mm are pale yellow. Full-grown larvae are about 2 cm, reddish and have a black head. They pupate in a silken cocoon covered in wood material.
Adults measure about 10 mm and are greyish with pale grey and copper-coloured stripes on their wings.

What about the codling moth’s life cycle?

3 to 6 days after emerging, females lay eggs on the leaves and fruit. They lay about 50 to 60 eggs.
After 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the climate, the eggs hatch and the young larvae start to penetrate fruits.
Caterpillars leave the fruit by the end of the summer and hibernate in fissures on the tree trunk, branches, rocks or fence posts.
Adults will be present from late spring till late summer. Even in early autumn adults can occur at temperatures above 15 °C/59 °F.
Next spring the larvae pupate and a new generation will be present.