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Codling Moth Infestation #834585
Asked June 08, 2023, 2:27 PM EDT
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thanks for the question.
The general rule of thumb is to dispose of all apples showing codling moth activity. This would include apples showing just a sting as well as apples having frass around the entry hole. All these infected apples should be removed from healthy ones. This is a crucial step to prevent the spread of the moths and larvae. This would be your best chance of saving at least a portion of your normal harvest
All apples showing signs of infection should be placed in a plastic bag and tied securely. Dispose of them in the trash. Do not compost infected apples. You could also just bury the apples at some distance away from other apple trees. I have heard of gardeners taking these bags of infected apples and freezing them. This will also kill the larvae.
See the following for further information on these and related points:
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7412.html
https://adoptandshop.org/when-do-codling-moth-larvae-climb-the-tree/
https://pcmg.ucanr.org/files/171600.pdf
https://treefruit.wsu.edu/crop-protection/opm/codling-moth/
Sorry to hear about your situation. Thanks for using this forum.