Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus, 1758) Species
Last modified: March 14, 2021, 6:59 p.m.
A common species throughout Belgium. Sometimes a pest in apple orchards.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Tortricidae > Subfamily: Olethreutinae > Tribus: Grapholitini > Genus: Cydia > Species: Cydia pomonella
- Vernacular names
- Fruitmot (NL), Codling moth (EN), Apfelwickler (DE)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1844. Énumération des insectes Lépidoptères de la Belgique. — Mémoires de la Société royale des Sciences de Liége 2: 1–35. On page 21 (as pomonana). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Egg
The flat and pinhead sized eggs are oval and translucent when first deposited. Later on they turn white.
Cocoon/pupa
The silk cocoon is spun under the bark of the host-tree.
Bionomics
The eggs are laid singly on fruit or on the upper surface of nearby leaves. Young larvae bore into the fruit within 24 hours after hatching and then tunnel towards the core where they feed on the developing seeds of especially Malus and Pyrus trees. The caterpillars hibernate full-grown in a silk cocoon under the bark of the tree-trunk or in leaf litter where the pupation takes place the following spring. A second generation is also not uncommon.
The adult moths become active at dusk and are attracted to light.
Flight periods
The adults fly from mid May till mid August. Those emerging in May sometimes produce a second generation which then flies from August till mid September.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Cydonia oblonga, Castanea sativa and Sorbus aria
- Host plant (genera):
- Malus, Pyrus, Juglans, Prunus and Ficus
The caterpillars live mainly in the fruits of Malus spp. and Pyrus spp. but can also be found on a variety of other trees.
Habitat
The typical habitat is in orchards.
