SOME COMMON FRUIT TREE PESTS
Apple Maggot Rhagoletis pomonella The adult is a black ¼” fruit fly with transparent wings with zebra stripes. Larva is a white maggot. To control, pick up and destroy fallen fruit until September; after that twice a month; from mid-June until harvest hang apple maggot lures in trees (1 per dwarf tree, 6 per full-size tree); encourage predators of the pupae (ground beetles and rove beetles) by planting white clover ground cover in orchards.
Apple Maggot Damage The adults start emerging mid-June to July, lay eggs in punctures in the fruit skin. Eggs hatch within a week, larva tunnel in fruit until fruit drops. Mature larvae leave fruit and pupate in soil to over winter. Some pupae remain dormant for several seasons. The sticky trap & scented lure is used Mid-June until harvest. To maintain, scrape off insects and reapply sticky coating. Scented lures last up to 3 months.
Codling Moth Cydia (Laspeyresia) pomonella The larva is pink or creamy white. Eggs flattened white eggs laid on leaves, twigs and fruit. To control, sow a cover crop to encourage native predators and parasites, especially ground beetles. Scrape away loose bark and over wintering cocoons preceding a dormant oil spray. Collect and destroy larvae from corrugated cardboard tree bands. Use pheromone lures to determine the arrival of the main flights. Apply sprayed controls and release beneficials to target the egg laying period.
Codling Moth Damage Over wintering larvae pupates in spring; adults emerge about the time apple trees bloom. Females lay eggs on fruit; larvae burrow into fruit core, usually from blossom end. After 3-5 weeks, larvae leave fruit to pupate under bark or in ground litter. There are two to three generations per year. The pheromone lure is hung throughout the growing season from bud break thru harvest. The lure needs to be replaced every 4 weeks (2 traps per season).
