Codling moth biology and ecology

Codling moth is believed to originate from the Kazakhstan region of central Asia. It is now found almost everywhere apples are grown. Distribution includes North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Codling moth is a pest of several commercial fruits including apple (of course) but also pear, quince, and surprisingly, apricot. Codling moth goes through complete metamorphosis; starting with the egg, it goes through larvae, pupae, and then adult. It overwinters as a 5^th instar larva in a silken hibernaculum and completes its metamorphosis in the spring. Development can be predicted by Degree Days, which is when temperatures are above the minimum temperature threshold. For codling moth this minimum temperature is 10 C (50 F). Using temperature data and predictive models we can very accurately predict key life stages to target for control. Male codling moth find females by following the sex pheromone she produces, sometimes from a long distance away. Typically, in today’s high density orchards codling moths typically fly on a few hundred meters to find mates and lay eggs, although long distances flyers have been reported. However, they can’t fly when evening temperatures are below around 14 C (58 F), high winds or rain. Adults live for one to two weeks so time is not on their side. An excellent management strategy is to use pheromone lures to disrupt the ability of males to find females. Preventing or even just delaying mating has been shown to be an excellent control strategy.