Oriental Fruit Moth
Grapholita molesta
Basic Details
Description
Taxonomy
Features
Translations
Basic Details
NameOriental Fruit Moth
DescriptionOriental fruit moths cause 'flagging' (wilting) of young peach and cherry shoots. Identify wilting branch tips to prevent larvae from later boring into your ripening fruit.
TypeInsect
FamilyTortricidae
GenusGrapholita
TribeGrapholitini
Taxonomy & Features
PhylumArthropoda
SubphylumHexapoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
SubfamilyOlethreutinae
Features
- A significant pest of peaches, nectarines, cherries, and occasionally apples and pears. Caused by the larvae of the moth Grapholita molesta
- Primary symptom in spring is 'flagging': the tips of young, green shoots suddenly wilt and die as larvae bore into and feed on the tender pith
- Later generations of larvae attack the fruit itself. They often enter through the stem end, making their presence difficult to detect from the outside
- Infested fruit often displays a gummy exudate (sap) mixed with sawdust-like frass (waste) at the entry point
- Larvae are pinkish-white caterpillars with a brown head, growing to about 12 mm. They feed throughout the fruit flesh, often causing internal rot
- Adult moths are small (6 mm), charcoal grey, and inconspicuous. They are active during the evening and night
- Overwinters as mature larvae in cocoons on the tree bark, in debris at the base of the tree, or in packing sheds
- Can have 4 to 6 generations per year in warm climates. The first generation targets new shoots, while later generations target the ripening fruit
- Monitor populations using pheromone traps. Prune out and destroy any 'flagged' (wilted) shoot tips as soon as they are seen to kill the larvae inside
- Control by applying spinosad or neem oil sprays starting at petal fall. Mating disruption using pheromone dispensers is highly effective in larger orchards
Names in Different Languages
Latin / ScientificGrapholita molesta
English (Alternate)OFM, Peach moth
Hindiओरिएंटल फ्रूट मोथ (Oriental fruit moth)
Tamilஓரியண்டல் பழ அந்துப்பூச்சி (Oriental pazha andhppuchi)
Teluguఓరియంటల్ ఫ్రూట్ మాత్ (Oriental fruit moth)
Malayalamഓറിയന്റൽ ഫ്രൂട്ട് മോത്ത് (Oriental frūṭṭ mōth)
Kannadaಪ್ರಾಚ್ಯ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಪತಂಗ (Prācya haṇṇina pataṅga)
Sanskritप्राच्य-फल-पतङ्ग (Prācya-phala-pataṅga)
Bengaliওরিয়েন্টাল ফ্রুট মথ (Oriental fruit moth)
Frenchtordeuse orientale du pêcher
Russianвосточная плодожорка (vostochnaya plodozhorka)
Spanishpolilla oriental del duraznero
GermanPfirsichwickler
