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Organic Codling Moth Control in Apple and Pear Orchards

Understanding the Pest

Codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae cause "stings" (surface entries) and "deep entries" into fruit. Effective organic management requires an integrated approach.

Key Strategies

Mating disruption: Pheromone dispensers reduce male-female encounters; preferred by UC IPM.
Sanitation: Remove and destroy infested and dropped fruit promptly.
Biological control: Trichogramma platneri wasps parasitize eggs, but cost and limited effectiveness may deter large-scale use.
Codling moth granulovirus (Cyd-X): Highly specific but expensive ($400/quart) and restricted in many states.
Kaolin clay (Surround): Forms a particle film that deters egg-laying; apply before bloom and reapply after rain.
Trapping: Monitor populations with pheromone traps to time interventions.

Building Your Program

Combine mating disruption with sanitation and targeted sprays (virus or kaolin) based on trap counts. Consult the UC Davis IPM guide for detailed protocols.

Organic Gardens: Premature Fruit Ripening and Drop in Plum Trees: Environmental Causes; Diagnosing and Treating Browning Fraser Firs and Cedar Trees; Plum Tree with Jelly-Like Sap: Borer Infestation; Lichens on Trees: Harmless Indicators of Stress, Not Killers; Gala Apple Seedlings in Florida: Chill Hours Required; Shade Trees, Fruit/Vegetable Garden, and Tropical Plants in Overland Park, Kansas; Growing Tropical Fruit Trees from Seed in Canada – Challenges; Worms in Peppers & Cherry Trees: Organic Controls That Work; Growing Fruit Trees and Bushes: Fresh Harvests from Your Own Yard; Managing Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs on Fruit Trees

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