Eyespotted bud moth

Insect

Eyespotted bud moth

Spilonota ocellana (Denis & Schiffermüller)

Lepidoptera: Tortricidae

Distribution: Most fruit-growing states and provinces in eastern North America.

Photos

In August, larvae dig tiny holes into the fruit, which often appear in a discolored zone and are arranged in a triangle. Leo-Guy Simard, Ag. and Agri-Food Canada
C

Adult forewings are bluish gray with a central cream-colored band (A puparium is on the left) and black spots. The chocolate brown larva has a black head and thoracic shield (B).

Crops Affected: apples, cherries, pears

Damage

Apple, pear, and cherry are attacked. Larvae tunnel in fruit buds in the spring. During bloom, damaged leaves are tied together as a shelter. In August, larvae attack the fruit by digging tiny holes close together, which often appear in a discolored zone and are arranged in a triangle (C); they also feed on the lower surface of the leaves and on their parenchyma tissue.

Management

This insect causes little damage and tolerance is more economical than intervention. Economic infestations can be controlled by the use of selective (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis) or broad-spectrum insecticides.

MSU Extension Integrated Pest Management