Knowledgebase

Apple pest #833966

Asked June 05, 2023, 7:30 PM EDT

Hi,

Many of our apple fruitlets are dripping sap. It looks to be dripping from pest damage. I don’t recall seeing this before. It is sticky, not the frass I think of for ACM. Is this just a sign of ACM or PC that I have not noticed before? Or is it another pest that I should know about?  Thanks!

Frederick County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi- the wounds in the photos are consistent with either codling moth or Oriental fruit moth larvae. You would expect to see frass inside or outside the holes once serious feeding begins. There may be a small amount of frass mixed in with the sap droplets. 

We suggest cutting open the affected fruitlets and look closely for caterpillars. Remove and dispose of all affected fruits.

VA Tech home fruit pest & disease management guide:
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/456/456-018/ENTO-523C.pdf
Jon
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 06, 2023, 9:40 AM EDT

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