Codling Moth on Apple Tree
How to identify and get rid of codling moth on Apple Tree. Size: 15–20mm larvae; 20mm wingspan adult.
Identifying codling moth on Apple Tree
Small entry holes in fruit surrounded by frass (droppings), with tunnelling visible when fruit is cut open, and premature fruit drop.
Life cycle
Adults emerge in late spring and lay eggs on leaves and developing fruit. Larvae bore into fruit within days of hatching, feeding for 3–4 weeks before exiting to pupate. One to two generations per year depending on climate.
Damage to Apple Tree
Codling moth larvae tunnel directly into the fruit core, ruining the harvest and causing affected apples to drop early — this is the classic 'worm in the apple' pest.
How to treat codling moth on Apple Tree
Hang pheromone traps from late spring to monitor and reduce mating, apply codling moth granulosis virus or appropriately timed insecticide during egg-hatch periods, and remove infested fruit promptly.
Preventing codling moth on Apple Tree
Wrap trunks with corrugated cardboard bands in summer to trap overwintering larvae as they descend, and clean up fallen fruit and debris each autumn.