CYDIA POMONELLA

CYDIA POMONELLA “CODLING MOTH”

odling moth (Cydia pomonella) is a member of the lepidopteran family Tortricidae. Introduced to North America from its native Europe over 200 years ago, Cydia pomonella is well known as an agricultural pest, the larva being the infamous, common "worm in the apple" of cartoon and vernacular fame. In North America it has become the main cause of damaged apples. The codling moth is found almost worldwide, and also attacks pears, walnuts, quince, crabapples, hawthorn, loquat, almonds, pecans, pomegranates and some stone fruits, mainly apricots.

Codling Moth is the most serious pest of apple and pear worldwide .

Hosts:

apple, pear, crabapple, English walnut, quince, hawthorn, apricot, plum, peach, cherry

LIFE History

Larva – overwintering stage

• size and Color: 1/2 - 3/4 inch long when full grown, creamy-white to tan

• Where: in silken cocoons under loose bark on tree, in protected areas at base of tree, in fruit bins, or in orchard trash piles

• Develop to pupal stage when spring temperatures exceed 50° F in late February and early March

Pupa

• size and Color: 1/2 inch long, brown
• Where: pupate inside silken cocoons under bark and

in other protected sites

• 7 - 30-day development period depending on temperature

Adult – Monitoring stage

• size: 1/2 inch long

• Color: mottled gray and brown moth; bands of alternating gray and white on wings with a bronze to copper spot on the tip of each forewing.

• Where: camouflaged against tree bark during the day with wings held tent-like over body

Become active when evening temperatures exceed 55 - 60° F.
After emerging, male moths can be caught in traps baited with sex pheromone IQ CYDIA and both sexes can be caught in traps baited with IQ CYDIA and pear ester
Peak moth activity is a few hours before and after twilight
Mated female moths can lay 30 - 70 eggs

Egg

• size and shape: pinhead sized, flat, oval

• Color: translucent when first deposited, later turning white; just before hatching, the black head of the larva is visible

• Where: laid singly on fruit or on upper surface of leaves near fruit; difficult to spot in the orchard

• Hatch occurs in 6 - 20 days depending on temperature

Larva – Damaging stage

• size and Color: 1/10 inch long upon hatching, pale white with a black head; 1/2 - 3/4 inch long when full grown, tan to pink with a brown head.

• Where: occasionally feed on terminal leaves and bore into shoots before seeking fruit

• Bore into fruit within 24 hours after hatching, then tunnel to core where they feed on developing seeds

• Pass through five instars inside fruit in 3 to 5 weeks

• Fruit attacked early in the spring often drops; larval development can be completed in the fallen fruit

• After completing development, larvae exit from fruit by entry hole or by a new exit hole and crawl to a protected site for pupation

• Entrance and exit holes are filled with frass (excrement) and are usually conspicuous .

• Larvae may pupate and emerge as second- or third- generation adults in 10 - 20 days, or enter diapause and remain larvae until the following spring .

Host Injury

Deep Entries

• Larvae tunnel to center of fruit to feed on seeds (Fig. 2).

• Brown frass (excrement) extrudes from entry and exit holes (Fig. 4).

• Fruit attacked during the first generation often drops prematurely.

stings

Stings are healed shallow or aborted entries that occur due to larvae death or when larvae exit the feeding area and tunnel into fruit elsewhere.