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  • From: "Moyer, Richard" <ramoyer@king.edu>
  • To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Coddling moth control
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 16:43:46 -0400

Mark Lee wrote:
How do people control codling moth?

Mark,
These methods may apply to you, and have worked well for us. We only have a
dozen apple trees on our two acres, and for better or worse, the trees are
in the kids play area. Hence our hesitancy for certain control methods.
These labor intensive methods are not applicable to most orchards, and they
greatly lessen, but not eliminate damage. They are mostly done by our kids,
who enjoy climbing the M111 trees.

Goal: break the life cycle of coddling moth at each stage possible.
1) Apple cider vinegar/molasses traps: These catch adults as they fly into
the orchard in June. Coddling are the primary moth we catch in these though
occasional butterflies get in, too.
2) Cardboard bands around each tree. Catches worm crawling down trunks to
pupate. We separate thicker cardboard into two halves, then tie 4 inch
bands, corrugated side against the trunk of each tree. Check weekly and 0-6
coddling moths can be destroyed as worms or pupae. Kids used to smash them
with tricycle, now we let the chickens pick them off the crevices in the
cardboard.
3) All drops picked up every day or two, disposed of off-site to prevent
new generations.
4) When thinning fruit or whenever in orchard, remove all with coddling
moths and dispose off-site.
We have not eliminated coddling moth, as suburban neighbors in multiple
directions have trees untreated for coddling moth. But we have reduced the
incidence of coddling moth (and apple maggot thru sticky balls) such that
most apples (many bushels) are free from both.

Richard Moyer
Zone 6, East Tenn




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