Oriental Fruit Moth

Oriental Fruit Moth Control

Grapholita molesta

The Oriental Fruit Moth is a pest of peaches and nectarines. The adult is a small, dark gray moth with dark brown mottled forewings. It is ¼" long with a wingspan of ½", and its wings are held roof-like over its body. When the adults are out, trapping and monitoring with pheromone trap is an extremely effective way to begin controlling this pest. The larvae can grow to 4/10" long and are cream to pinkish colored with brown heads.

The larvae overwinter in bark, weeds, ground cover, fallen fruit, and orchard trash. Just cleaning up the garden in the autumn will help control these pests. During the trees dormant season, spray with horticultural oil to suffocate the pest.

After larvae hatch, they bore into young, tender growth stems. At this point in time, it may be helpful to spray with Spinosad or Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki The infested shoots and leaves wilt and bend, eventually turning brown. Larvae typically enter fruit from the stem end and cause the fruit to rot, sometimes causing sooty mold to appear on the plant.

Control products are listed below. For more information please see our Caterpillars and Moths Control page.

Photo courtesy of Clemson University Department of Entomology, Soils & Plant Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service.