When scouting for fruit injured from this pest during the 1st generation, which began in early June, look for frass at the calyx end of the fruit and red ringed holes along the cheek and shoulder with frass. If you cut open CM injured fruit, you are likely to find the seed fed upon. Core feeding from lesser apple worm and Oriental fruit worm will not result in seed feeding. San Jose scale also produce a red ring from feeding, however, there will be no hole or frass from SJS. If populations of CM reside within the orchard or if adults migrate in from abandoned trees along the borders, they are likely to give rise to damaging populations this week. Trapping in your orchard is the best way to determine presence of the insect.
Generally, we are seeing very high incidence of CM injury in untreated and organic treated fruit this season AND we have heard from New England growers regarding increased fruit injury from internal worms over the past few years.
Since apple maggot has now reached threshold in high pressure blocks, the selection of management tools to control both codling moth and apple maggot are in order. The neonicotinoids, Calypso and Assail are very effective against both insects. Given Calypso’s 30 PHI, it should be used during an earlier window given an early August cut off date for early harvested varieties.
Assail used only for CM management can be used effectively at lower rates (4-8 oz./A). However, for AM management, rates should be at the 8.0 oz./A. Restrictions for Assail include:
• Do not make more than 4 applications per season.
• Do not apply more than once every 12 days.
• Do not apply less than 7 days before harvest (PHI = 7 days).
• Do not exceed a total of 0.60 lbs. active ingredient (32.0 ozs. product) per acre
per growing season.