Try these methods to manage codling moth and save your fruit | Pest Control | Gardening Australia

Losing your fruit to codling moth is a particular type of sadness. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
Codling moth is an introduced pest that lives on and in pome fruit: apples, pear and quince. They are nondescript and small - about 10mm long - but they’re a major pest for commercial growers as well as home gardeners, as they eat the fruit from the inside out and can destroy whole crops.
There’s no quick fix to eradicating codling moth, but Hannah explains the life cycle of this pesky predator and shares a range of methods you can use that together will reduce their numbers.
The moth’s life cycle is dependent on temperature changes, so it will vary around Australia. The moths are most active in spring and summer, from when flowers start blooming (when temperatures are about 13-16C) to the end of fruiting; they can go through several generations over this time.
Spring - pheromone traps:
The adult moths start to emerge from hibernation in spring, so this is the time to set pheromone traps. These lure in male moths and capture them on sticky paper. A few moths will be caught this way but the main purpose of traps is to let you know they’re active so you can plan more action.
Glue traps:
Adult moths emerging from their hibernation homes in the soil often climb up the tree trunk to mate and lay eggs. Horticultural glue spread on a cover of masking tape around the trunk will catch these. To stop small birds or animals from being caught too, it’s a good idea to put a mesh collar around the trunk as well. The glue needs to be replaced every 2-3 months over the season.
Enlist other insects:
The pinhead-sized eggs are hard to see and deal with but the tiny parasitic Trichogramma wasps will do this for you, laying its eggs inside the codling moth’s eggs. You can encourage these wasps to visit your garden by avoiding pesticides and planting flowers with lots of nectar, plus favourites such as clover, carrots, and fennel.
Removing affected fruit:
Female moths will lay eggs on or near fruit as it forms, and when the larvae hatch from the eggs they burrow into the fruit to feed on the pips. As they burrow in their waste material (called frass) is pushed out through the entry hole - it looks like a mini pile of sawdust. Keep an eye on your fruit and remove any showing signs of codling moth; remember the larvae can keep living inside the picked fruit, so DO NOT compost it - feed them to chickens or bag and bin them instead.
Larvae traps:
Mature moth larvae will travel down the tree trunk to find a place to spin their cocoon and pupate. They are likely to pick a crevasse in the bark or in the mulch under your tree. Wrap some corrugated cardboard around the trunk of the tree to tempt them into stopping there.
Adult moths emerge from the pupa after about two weeks, so you need to check the cardboard for cocoons every week or two and replace it as necessary. Hannah does this from when the trees start to blossom right the way through to winter.
Chickens:
Letting chickens feed around under your fruit trees is a great way of controlling codling moths - they’ll eat the caterpillars and moths that you miss.
Winter blockade:
Caterpillars that get past all your defences will hibernate over winter in the ground. You can make life harder for them by scraping back the old mulch from around the tree in autumn and, towards the end of winter, covering the ground under the tree with thick sheets of cardboard and new mulch on top.
It all sounds like a lot of work, but can quickly become part of your garden routine, and is worth if for a delicious, bug-free harvest.
If your neighbours also grow fruit, share this video with them so you can work together to remove codling moth from your gardens.
Filmed in Hobart, Tas.
Featured species:
Codling moth (Cydia pomonella)
Parasitic wasp (Trichogramma sp.)
Clover (Trifolium repens)
Carrot (Daucus carota cv.)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare cv.)
Always check species before planting: they may be environmental weeds in your area.
___________________________________________
Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia's leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.
Watch more: iview.abc.net.a...
Facebook: / gardeningaustralia
Instagram: / gardeningaustralia
Web: www.abc.net.au/...
___________________________________________
This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation KZbin channel. Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC's Online Conditions of Use www.abc.net.au/... (Section 3).

[@christinerichards5427]

Thankyou for this lost all this years Quinces to these! 😢

[@teresamexico309]

Useful info, thank you! I wish you could place the whole episodes in this channel or another.

[@Picci25021973]

Really useful tricks, thank You!

[@ianwilsongardendesign2236]

Some good methods . There are a couple of ones you missed - Bagging the fruit when they are small with gauze bags and is also good for other problems including birds ( apparently no good against squirrels) - And organic sprays can be very effective early on I know a person that uses - Madex ( a virus control) and they have had excellent results and there is also a bacteria spray one that is effective at the active stages i.e when the egg hatches - sprayed every 15 days - before grub enters apple.

[@jodiegrace2849]

Thank you for an informative video some great tricks to try

[@garfishahmed]

Awesome - thank you!!!

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Informative!

[@Psych911]

Or you could just spray the apples with Yates Success, which is registered for codling moth, plant-derived and non-toxic. Seriously, no wonder people have abandoned backyard gardening with all these hokey pokey techniques being touted as the only way to solve problems.

[@chrisking9424]

Toxic chemical! Why would you want to put that on your fruit.

[@BikerAU]

Just wondering if the moths fly from the ground to the tree or predominantly crawl up the trunk?

[@VladAuTravel]

You would like to have an Apple tree seeing such issues

[@moniquemannaert3468]

Where I live we can't buy horticultural glue. Can you name a brand, please or can we make it ourselves?

[@p0wnsa64]

First