Codling Moths: How to Safely Control This Fruit Tree Pest

1 / 3
Dr. Louis A. Falcon, professor of entomology at Berkeley and chief developer of the codling moth virus spray, stands beside a ready-for-action sprayer at Molly Breen's orchard.
Dr. Louis A. Falcon, professor of entomology at Berkeley and chief developer of the codling moth virus spray, stands beside a ready-for-action sprayer at Molly Breen's orchard.
2 / 3
Believe it or not, this healthy-looking tree used to lose about 60% of its apples to codling moth damage. But now, thanks to the codling moth granulosis virus, its apples are virtually worm-free!
Believe it or not, this healthy-looking tree used to lose about 60% of its apples to codling moth damage. But now, thanks to the codling moth granulosis virus, its apples are virtually worm-free!
3 / 3
Pheromone traps were one of the important tools used at Pike Mountain Orchard to monitor the codling moth population.
Pheromone traps were one of the important tools used at Pike Mountain Orchard to monitor the codling moth population.

Three years ago Pike Mountain Apple Orchard, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, faced a ruinous infestation of codling moths. In fact, the 12-acre spread (containing 988 trees laden with Golden and Red Delicious and Rome Beauty apples), under the management of organic farmer Molly Breen, lost a whopping 60% of its 1981 crop to the voracious insects. However, today–thanks to entomologist Dr. Louis A. Falcon, of the University of California at Berkeley, and the codling moth virus he championed–Molly’s orchard has been saved! Current moth damage is down to a mere 2%, and (according to the local agricultural commissioner) Pike Mountain apples are now among the finest grown in all of northern California.

The story behind this miraculous turn of events should prove valuable to anyone whose crops are prey to codling moths and who’s looking for an environmentally safe means of getting rid of these despoilers of fruit and nut trees.

Codling Moth Virus

Molly Breen, a fervent proponent of organic farming techniques, came to Pike Mountain Orchard in 1974. Since the 30-year-old orchard had sat abandoned for half a decade prior to her arrival, she had her work cut out for her. Over the next few years Molly saw to it that–among other chores–tons of manure, rock phosphate, and fertilizer were added to the soil, and that clover was established as a ground cover. Finally, thanks to her conscientious use of primarily biodynamic farming practices, the orchard was restored to peak production. But as the trees became healthier and more productive, they also became increasingly infested with hungry codling moths.

Meanwhile (unbeknownst to Molly), Dr. Louis Falcon was hard at work trying to develop a new microbiological insecticide that would control the codling moth in its destructive larval stage. (As you may know, it’s the larvae–not the moths–that bore into the fruit. Adult codlers lay their eggs on the fruit, and as the apples develop, the newly emerged larvae eat their way into the fruit to feed on the seed.)

  • Published on May 1, 1984
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368