Considerations for Codling Moth Treatment

Walnut growers are monitoring their orchards for codling moth this time of year. A codling moth treatment should depend on several factors.

Considerations for Codling Moth Treatment

Accessing Pressure Potential

Now is the time for walnut producers to get an idea of where their codling moth pressure will be this season. “What we want to look for after a flight are infested dropped nuts on the ground or evidence of infested nuts in the tree canopies,” Integrated Pest Management Advisor Emily Symmes says. “That can give us an idea on where we stand with potential pest pressure and if we need to treat the next flight.”

Factors to Consider

Symmes says growers need to think about two other factors before making a codling moth treatment. Making an application for the pest could have implications down the road on navel orangeworm management and some biological controls. “With codling moth, there are a coupe of important things to remember. The first is that best management practices for controlling navel orangeworm damage in walnuts heavily depends on keeping codling moth damage earlier in the season low,” Symmes says. “It’s also important to remember that any materials used up until this point in the season, particularly for coddling moth control, can have an impact on natural enemies especially of aphids and spider mites in the orchard.”