Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
codling moth populations by themselves. To reduce their impact on non-pest
insects, use pheromone traps to monitor codling moth flights and turn on the
black lights only when the moths are flying.
To target pupating larvae, loosely wrap strips of cardboard around the
tree trunks beginning with the spring flight. Larvae that crawl down the
trunks seeking a place to pupate hide under the cardboard and spin cocoons.
Examine the cardboard strips weekly after you observe moth flights and re-
place as necessary to destroy the cocoons.
Oriental Fruit Moth
Oriental fruit moth is an introduced pest that can cause very serious damage
in fruit crops and is considered more difficult to control than apple maggot.
It was once considered to be primarily a problem on peaches, but it also at-
tacks apricots, nectarines, almonds, apples, quince, pears, plums, and cherries,
as well as many woody ornamental plants. The adults are brownish to green-
ish moths with a wingspan of about
⁄
2
inch. They lay eggs on tender, young
1
shoot tips, and the larvae bore into and feed on the tips. The feeding kills
the twigs and shoot tips, causing the fruit trees to have a bushy appearance.
The larvae also feed on young fruit (young injury) and nearly ripe fruit (old
injury). Damage from both young and old injuries is clearly visible. In “con-
cealed injury,” which is common in peaches, the outside of the fruit may ap-
pear perfect but conceal a larvae feeding within, usually near the pit.
The methods of control used for Oriental fruit moth are similar to those
used for codling moth, with slight exceptions due to the fact that OFM pro-
duces three generations per year. Pheromones are available for monitoring
populations, and studies of mating disruption are now being conducted. As
with codling moth, Oriental fruit moth is susceptible to beneficial parasites.
According to Michigan State University,
Trichogramma minutum
(an egg
parasite) and
Macrocentrus ancylivorus
(a larval parasite) may parasitize 50
to 90 percent of Oriental fruit moth eggs or larvae in an orchard. The para-
sites alone, however, do not provide sufficient control for commercial crops
and must be included in integrated pest management programs.
