Cherry fruitworm
Grapholita packardi
0 host plants
Last updated
Cherry fruitworm larvae bore into cherry fruits, creating entrance holes and feeding galleries filled with dark droppings. You will find damaged fruit with small openings near the stem end starting in late June and continuing through harvest. Infested cherries may split or appear sunken. This pest affects sweet and ornamental cherry; damage is most apparent late in the season when affected fruit becomes obvious.
Remove all damaged fruit from trees and ground; discard in sealed containers or bury deeply. Prune out diseased or dead branches where pupae overwinter. This is primarily a harvest quality issue; prevention focuses on removing fruit that fell naturally or was damaged early. Spinosad can suppress populations if applied at early fruit development stages, though timing requires monitoring moth emergence. Most home gardeners accept minor damage rather than pursue chemical control.
Quick Reference
Adults are small, dark gray/brownish moths with a wingspan of about 9 to 10 mm. They are active mostly at night. Larvae have pink-red bodies with brown or black heads. Newly hatched larvae tunnel into fruit. One larva can easily destroy an entire cluster of berries.
Cultural Controls
- -cultural control Remove overwintering environments for larvae, such as weeds, prunings, and trash around the plants.
- Also, if possible, manage alternate hosts (e.g., cherry, apple, rose) on field borders.
- Home gardeners: Larvae and eggs can be hand-picked if found.
- Management-
In the PNW, cherry fruitworm has been found infesting blueberries only in parts of western Washington. Monitor blueberry crops in this region during fruit development.