North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

Steve,

It could be Oriental Fruit Moth that is about half the size of Codling Moth. 
The instars (small larva) look similar, but OFM is smaller.  Their biology 
is based on a GDD Base of 45 instead of 50, which is why they typically 
emerge prior to codling moth.  They cause similar fruit damage as codling 
moth and will enter the fruit from either the calyx end or from the side of 
the apple.  The only difference in their feeding habits is that OFM will 
generally feed on flesh away from the center of the apple, whereas CM goes 
for the seeds in the center.  Your first treatment for OFM would fall at 
about 150-170 GDD after their biofix.  I would think that your first Imidan 
spray should take care of them, but sprays have to be timed.  Sprays to 
control the first generation should be applied about six days after the 
first peak adult emergence.  This would usually coincide with the spray for 
plum curculio, which would be the Imidan spray. Hope this helps!

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard, Zone 5
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve" <sdw12986@aol.com>
To: "NAFEx" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 9:48 PM
Subject: [NAFEX] Early apple pest


> I've been wondering for years what this pest actually is. Even though they 
> infest 25 to 40% of the young apples every year, they tend to not affect 
> the final crop because the infested apples fall off when they are small 
> and I do any thinning after that.
> It behaves much like coddling moth in that it tunnels in, eats and area 
> near the center of the small fruit, then exits out the side. I could 
> almost believe it IS the first generation of coddling moth except for the 
> following questions:
>
> If it's coddling moth, why does it attack apples that are barely bigger 
> than a pea, right after petal fall? I find the larvae inside and they are 
> always small. Far smaller than any coddling moth larva I ever found in a 
> mature apple. Petal fall was only 2 to 3 weeks ago here and already, I'm 
> not finding any larvae in the small apples, only the exit tunnel.
>
> If it's coddling moth, why do I never find them in mature apples? I can't 
> remember the last time I picked a ripe apple and found coddling moth 
> damage inside. It's been so long, I'm not sure right now if I EVER had 
> them here in this yard. (I remember them very well from when I was younger 
> and living in central Ohio.) My entire spray program for apples consists 
> of two sprays of Imidan, starting soon after petal fall, then 2 (sometimes 
> 3 depending on the weather) sprays of Sevin when I start seeing apple 
> maggot flies on my sticky apple traps. With that very simple spray 
> schedule, my apples have been 100% free of insect damage for the last 3 
> years. I would find it hard to believe that Imidan is completely 
> ineffective on a pest but Sevin is 100% successful at stopping the next 
> generation.
>
> So, if it's not coddling moth, then what is it? More information: The 
> entry holes are usually right at the point where 2 small apples touch each 
> other or where an apple touches a leaf. The frass that comes out of the 
> exit hole is dark brown but it stains my fingers orange when I break open 
> the apple to see if there is still a larva inside. The biggest apple I 
> ever find with an exit hole is about the size of a nickel. Most drop 
> before reaching that size.
>
> Steve in the Adirondacks of northern NY