Apple and Pear growers beware! Its is time to begin treatment for your Fruit trees. These 2 can be a real menace to your crop. Codling moth is usually present first they will lay eggs on the fruit or on a leaf, and the larva will burrow in to the core of the fruit to feed. They will stay for three weeks or so before the exit the fruit and overwinter in their pupa state. The Apple maggot will lay there eggs under the skin of the fruit. When the eggs hatch the larva will wind its way through the fruit and will typically stay there until the fruit drops.
That’s when the larva will exit the fruit and overwinter in pupa state in the soil.
The biggest issue with these pest is that the treatment options have a small window of effectiveness. Apple maggot can only be pretreated before the eggs are laid in the fruit, there is no treatment if the egg is already penetrated the fruit. Codling moth is the same in the sense that once in the fruit there is not treatment. However, because the egg is laid on top of the fruit or a leaf, then they can technically be treated after the eggs are laid and before migration to the fruit. There can be up to 3 generations of fly or moth so continued sprays throughout the fruit growing season will be necessary. Senske has Fruit worm prevention programs. Please contact them for further information or to schedule a free estimate.
