As of June 7, the Bellingham Airport site registered 422 DD, with the historical data forecasting reaching our target around June 17. The goal with codling moth is to time your first spray at 500-525 DD. It will give you where we are, and historical forecast for DD accumulation. Click on the small show details link (red circle on image) to see the weather data table. You can click on a graph to see actual accumulated Degree Days. On the left side of the screen, the running models will display as graphs. Add these two models (and remove the Gypsy Moth one) then click Refresh Display. The most useful ones to add for codling moth and apple maggot are the Codling Moth No Biofix model and the Apple Maggot Percent EmergedModel. Then click on the Degree-day/Phenology Models + sign. There is also a mummyberry model for blueberry growers. For the home orchardist, tracking apple and pear scab might be useful. This will give you options to add or subtract models you want to track. Next, click on the Plant Disease models + sign. After you’ve selected a weather station, refresh the display. Or, if you are not close to the airport, choose the weather station closest to you.

For most people in Western Whatcom county, you can choose the Bellingham Airport weather station to run your models. Use the map tool to drag the map to your location. (pink pin) and there will be several pest and disease models selected. When you first go to this page, the default is set to Corvallis, OR. I highly recommend you set this up for yourself and start playing with it. The most useful tool we have found is online pest models. Controlling the pest by spraying means you need to track accumulating Degree Days to know when the moths are likely laying eggs. The eggs take 8-14 days to hatch, then the larvae bury into the young fruit to feed. The moths begin mating and laying eggs when evening temperatures are above 55☏. The moths begin to emerge as the apple bloom finishes. (The link is from PNW Handbooks- more Eastern WA centered, but still useful info).Ĭodling moths overwinter as mature larvae in cracks in tree bark, in leaf litter, just below ground, and where culled apples were dumped. Today we’ll look at controlling the codling moth. Controlling these two insects take attention to weather to get the timing down for control. The warm temperatures allowed both pests to have several generations. Both codling moth and apple maggot pressures were high. The past two summers have been hard ones for the home orchardist. If you haven’t set up this tool for yourself at home, I’ll walk you through the steps. It’s time to track heat units so you can control codling moth and apple maggot in your orchards.

The moth and the mountain