How to Monitor Codling Moth Activity in the Spring

Codling moths can ruin your apples, pears or walnuts and who wants that? Codling moths will start emerging, (depending on your temperatures) in March or April. A good way to monitor for their activity is to put out a trap with a codling moth lure. The male moths will be attracted to the pheromone in the lure and get trapped in the sticky substance on the inside of the trap. If your populations are low, then the sticky traps may be enough to disrupt the mating process. If the infestation is heavy then you will want to use a combination of monitoring traps and insecticides that are labeled for codling moths. Another solution is to apply a barrier around your developing fruit so the codling moth larva cannot penetrate such as our Maggot Barriers. For more information, check out our video on Controlling Codling Moths.

🔬 Resource Area: Natural Biocontrol Tools

Explore biological agents that target codling moth larvae and early life stages:

• Naturally Occurring Codling Moth Virus – Information on CpGV (CYD‑X) virus to target early larvae.
• How to Monitor Codling Moth Activity in the Spring – Offers visual tips for trap inspection and signs of early larval presence.