Stone Fruits [North]

Courtesy of Clemson University – USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, www.InsectImages.org.

Oriental Fruit Moth Before apple bloom, Oriental fruit moth (OFM) adults emerge and mate. Typically eggs hatch at petal fall. A mature larva is 1/2 inch long, pinkish-white with a brown head, and has legs and an anal comb. Adults are a gray color with dark-brown bands on their wings. They are about 1/4 inch long, with a wingspan of about 1/2 inch. A degree-day model and pheromone trap catches should determine when insecticide applications begin. Recommendations Only one insecticide application should be made for first-generation OFM. Intrepid® 2F insecticide, with the active ingredient methoxyfenozide, applied at 400 to 500 degree-days after biofix, will provide control. Applications for second-generation population can start at 1,100 degree-days after the biofix with as many as two follow-up applications 14 days apart if needed. At 2,200 degree-days, an application to control the third generation can be applied. If needed, subsequent applications applied on a two-week spray interval can be maintained for fourth and fifth generations. Egg laying can continue from August through October.    Azinphos-methyl, diazinon, esfenvalerate, indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, methomyl, permethrin or pyriproxyfen are active ingredients in products that can be rotated with Intrepid in a management program. Applications may also control tufted apple bud moth. For heavy infestations of OFMs, use the highest label rate of 16 oz./A.

Western Flower Thrips
Adult female thrips are about 1/16 inch long, can be yellowish-brown to dark brown in color and have wings. Adult males are light yellow and smaller than the females.

Larvae go through two stages, but are translucent-white and have red eyes during both stages. During the first stage, larvae are tiny and almost worm-like. Larvae in the second stage are similar to the adult in size and shape.

Begin monitoring at bloom by collecting a sample of blooms from 10 to 12 trees at three to four sites per orchard. Slap blooms against a light yellow surface to determine abundance of adults. Dissecting about 50 blooms per orchard is a means for determining presence of larvae with treatment recommended when there are five adults per bloom.

During fruit ripening, a sample of 10 fruits at five sites per orchard should be counted with five adults per 50 fruits yielding a damaging population.

Tufted Apple Bud Moth
Young larvae are about 1/16 inch long with a black head accompanying a yellowish body. Older larvae reach 3/4 inch long and turn a light brown to grayish tan with a brown head capsule. A dark stripe runs down the back of the body, which distinguishes the leafroller from others.

Pupae are brown and about 3/8 inch long. Male moths are slightly smaller than female moths that reach about 1/2 inch long, with variance in color from a mottled gray to brown. Wings are generally one-third grayish at the wing base with a lighter colored margin along the leading edge of the wings. The top of the wings also have two or three groups of tufted scales.

Adults emerge toward the beginning of May, with two generations observed each year. Larvae develop on a variety of host plants in spring including root suckers or broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, dock and wild strawberry.

Obliquebanded Leafroller
A black head and thoracic shield accompany the yellowish green body of young larvae. Larvae pass through six instars and mature larvae have a black or brownish head and thoracic shield, and can reach 3/4 to 1 inch in length. Pupae are dark brown and a length of about 1/2 inch.

Reddish-brown forewings crossed by three oblique, chocolate-brown bands, distinguish the adult obliquebanded leafroller that is 3/8 to 1/2 to inch long and has a wingspan of 3/4 to 1 inch long. The hind wings are of a pale yellow color.

Courtesy of Clemson University – USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, www.InsectImages.org.

Redbanded Leafroller Young larvae have green to pale yellow bodies with a head and thoracic shield matching the body's color. The head and shield of the same color is the feature that distinguishes redbanded leafrollers from other leafrollers, which have a dark head and shield. Young larvae are about 1/16 inch long and reach a total length of about 5/8 inch at maturity. Pupae initially are greenish-brown and mature to a deep brown, growing to 3/8 to 1/2 inch long. Adults are reddish-brown with light silver, grey and orange markings. The forewings are crossed by distinct reddish-brown bands extending across the wings. Recommendations Intrepid and SpinTor can be used in rotation with products containing the active ingredients esfenvalerate, lambda-cyhalothrin or methomyl. Monitor the moth flights and the infestation densities of the larval stages for optimal timing to begin application.

For a complete IRM stone fruit management guide, visit the Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Production Guide.

< back