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Plum fruit moth

The plum fruit moth is a moth with a wingspan between 10 and 15 mm.

Also known as:
Plum moth
Red plum maggot

recognize damage by plum fruit moth
Plum affected by plum fruit moth, photo: Laura Van Veller

Plum fruit moth (Grapholita funebrana). This moth has a wingspan between 10 and 15 mm. The plum fruit moth belongs to the leafrollers and is regularly spotted in England, Wales and a few in Scotland.
The plum fruit moth hibernates as a caterpillar in the soil. In spring, the caterpillars pupate and plum fruit moths emerge in mid-May. They lay eggs on the incipient fruits of host plants: plum, blackthorn and Prunus species.
After more than a week, the eggs hatch and the caterpillars eat their way through the plum to the flesh around the pit.
A second generation is active at the end of July and is causing a lot of damage. The pulp around the pit is eaten away and the area is contaminated with excrement.
On affected plums, there is a resinous droplet near where the caterpillar entered the plum.
The adult caterpillars hide in the soil or in the bark of the trunk and make a cocoon to hibernate in.
Late plum varieties such as Victoria are especially susceptible to plum fruit moth attack.

Plum fruit moth, photo: Fvlamoen - CC BY-SA 3.0

Where to find

  • Plum
  • Blackthorn
  • Prunus species

Control

After the eggs of the plum fruit moth have hatched and the caterpillars have infested the plums, it is too late to reverse the infestation.

Prevention

Provide a bird-friendly environment: birds eat insects including leafrollers like the plum fruit moth.

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