■3- 



in or near the orchard, often harbor numerous larvae and serve as centers of 

 infostation. Coarse trash, such as broken boxes, baskets, basket pads/ broken 

 branches and prunings which may be present under the trees, should be removed 

 and destroyed, because they provide shelter for the larvae. 



Pupation of the overwintering larvae begins about the time the fruit 

 buds show pink. Moths usually appear v.'hen apples are in full bloom, and emer- 

 gence may continue for five to six vreeks. Larvae which over-winter in packing 

 liousfjs and storage sheds tend to pupate later than those in the orchard. This 

 I'^.ssons th'^; value of a spray schedule based on orchard conditions and amphai^izes 

 the need of screening of packing houses and treatment of old containers. Stor- 

 age and packing houses should be screened and kept tightly closed until after 

 moth emergence. 



The moths usually remain quiet during the day and bectjme active at 

 dusk. Four or five days after emergence the females begin to lay eggs on 

 leaves and fruit. If the v>reather is cold or storiaj'', egg laying is delayed. 

 The eggs hatch in about 6 or 7 days, and the young larvae promptly crawl to 

 the fruit. Llany of the early larvae enter the fruit through the calyx end. 

 The larvae that appear later in the season tend to enter through the side, 

 usually where tviro apples touch, Vi/here a leaf rests on an apple, or at the mar- 

 gins of old curculio scars or other areas where the surface of t!ie fruit has 

 been russeted or roughened. 



The larvae require about 3 weeks to mature, after which they emerge 

 from the fruit and coimnence to spin their cocoons. Most of the larvae v;hich 

 mature before mid-iJuly transform at once to pupae and form a second generation. 

 Later emerging larvae crawl to a sheltered spot and spin cocoons in which they 

 pass the winter. There is normally one complete, and a partial second genera- 

 tion of the codling moth in Massachusetts. In seasons when weather conditions 

 favor an early maturity of the larvae, the second generation is greater than 

 normal, resulting in more late season damage to the fruit. 



Thorough spraying with lead arsenate is the standard method of control. 

 Several applications are recommended as specified in the Massachusetts Apple 

 Spra y Chart . Dust schedules have not proved so effective as spraj/-s in codling 

 moth control. Recent tests v.dth materials other than arsenicals (fixed nico- 

 tines, etc.) have shown promise, particularly in late summer applications, when 

 they may be applied to give protection against second brood larvae without in- 

 curring the risk of excessive spray residue on the fruit at harvest time. 



Scraping loose bark from the tr-ves in late v;inter or early spring re- 

 duces the population of oven'.'intering larvae, Wiere possible, such scrapingc 

 should be collected and promptly destroyed. Chemically treated bands j placed 

 around the trunls of the trees, will collect large numbers of larvae. Larvae 

 entering these bands will be killed and thus, by the disposal of early emerging 

 larvae, the danger of a heavy second brood is reduced. In addition, the dec- 

 truction of late emerging larvae will tend to reduce the danger of heavj^ infes- 

 tation the following season. 



Bands diould be in place on the trees by at least the middle of June 

 and should remain until th-- fruit is harvested and all drops have been col- 



