Codling Moth

The codling moth Cydia pomonella is an economically important pest of many pome fruits including Apple, Pears, Crab Apple, Quince, Hawthorn, Apricot, Plum, Peach and Cherry.

It is distributed across the Europe, Asia, United States, Mexico and Mediterranean countries. The larvae penetrate the fruit skin and bore through the core end feed up to the seed cavity. If an infestation of Cydia pomonella is left untreated then there is a risk of 95% crop loss.

Biology:

Adult Moths: Have a wingspan of 16 to 19 mm. There are very obvious and characteristic brown oval markings on the wing, surrounded by two golden brown lines, tending towards bronze, on the grey forewings. Hindwings are a reddish brown and are delicately ciliated.
Eggs: Adult females lay between 30 and 70 eggs. These are flat and oval in shape, and translucent to white in color. Just before hatching, the dark head of the larvae is visible. Eggs will hatch after 6-10 days.
Larvae: Are 1-2 cm long and pink with a brown head. They develop through 3-5 instars over a period of approximately 5 weeks.
Pupal Stage: Lasts 7-30 days depending on environmental conditions such as temperature. Pupae are brown and around 1.5 cm in length. Pupation occurs in protected sites.

Pheromone – Tortrix viridana

Nature of Damage:

Damage is caused by the larvae tunneling into the fruit to feed on the seeds.
Brown frass collects outside the entry hole of the tunneling larvae.
Early fruit attacked by this pest will drop prematurely.

Monitoring:

Russell IPM manufacture and supply pheromone lures, traps and complete monitoring systems for Codling moth, Cydia pomonella. Regular monitoring through use of pheromone traps gives early warning of the infestation and also exhibits the density of the insect population to inform successful IPM strategies.

Pheremone:

Lures:

Lures: Lures can be changed every 4-6 weeks to get the most accurate results.
Lures Handling: Pheromone lures are a very sensitive tool. They can be affected by exposure to high heat and direct sunlight. Direct contact with the hand may cause cross-contamination, leading to mixed catches in the trap. Some pollutants, such as nicotine, may have a repellent effect, reducing trap catch.
Lures Storage: Store the pheromone in a cool, dry place. Service life may vary from 3-36 months depending on the storage temperature. See the data sheet for details.

Trap Selection:

The Delta trap or MothCatcher are the most sensitive trap to use for monitoring this insect. The MothCatcher is more suitable dusty conditions or in locations with a high moth population density. Do not re-use the trap to monitor different insects as this may lead to mixed catches.

Trap Density:

Place traps in a grid pattern within the orchard at a rate of 1 trap every 5 ha for small scale orchards and 10 traps every 2-4 hectares for larger holdings.

Trap Position:

Place each trap within the tree canopy at approximately 2.5 m high, ensuring that the trap entraces are not blocked by foliage or developing fruit.

Data and Interpretation:

Collect data weekly from the start of the flight of the over wintering generation. During the height of the population more frequent reading may be needed. Decisions on pesticide application should not be taken solely on the trap catch data. Climatic and biological considerations should be taken in account.