Michigan cherries advice from MSU

Cherry fruitworm - Grapholitha packardi (Zeller)

Cherry fruitworm (CFW) overwinters as a mature larva in hibernaculum on the tree. Adults emerge 2-4 weeks after petal fall in tart cherry, mate and lay eggs on the calyx and stem ends of the fruit. Larvae hatch from eggs in 10 days. They bore into the fruit, often feeding just below the surface before moving towards the pit. There is one generation per year.

Monitoring: Begin monitoring adult flight after petal fall, and for larvae at 2 weeks after petal fall. Visually inspect fruit for pin-sized entrance holes and frass. Brown trails can be seen below the surface of infested fruit.

Control: Time sprays for egg hatch, beginning approximately 10 days after the start of adult flight.


Adult CFW are gray-black moths with brown markings on their wings. Their wingspan is 9-10 mm.	Mature larvae are 9 mm long, reddish with brown heads, and have an anal comb.	When hatched, immature larvae are whitish gray with black heads, about 1.4 mm long.

Additional information

For more monitoring information and evaluation of available pesticides:
Michigan Fruit Management Guide
MSU Diagnostic Services for assistance in pest identification.
MSU Fruit Crop Advisory Team Alert newsletters for current pest/crop conditions.

This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Stone Fruits by David Epstein, Larry J. Gut, Alan L. Jones and Kimberly Maxson-Stein. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2840).

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Funding support: Project GREEEN, the Michigan Cherry Committee and the MSU IPM Program. Read disclaimer. Web developed by: J.N. Landis.
02/22/08