Light Brown = Apple Moth

Light Brown Apple=20 Moth

By=20 Ann Dozier

Q =20 My neighbor says the=20 Central=20 Coast is threatened by a new plant pest called the = light brown=20 apple moth. Is this a problem here? I don't have any apple=20 trees.

A The = light brown=20 apple moth was first found in March in the=20 San=20 Francisco=20 Bay area. The larvae of this moth are a serious = threat to=20 agriculture as well as to backyard gardeners. Nearly omnivorous, they = feed on=20 most fruits (not just apples), vegetables, and ornamental plants and=20 trees.

As of=20 mid-July, nine California counties were under quarantine for this insect. = No moths=20 have been identified in San Luis Obispo County, but they have been found in northern=20 Monterey and Santa Cruz counties as well as around=20 San=20 Francisco=20 Bay and in Los Angeles County. Growers in these areas are required to have = state=20 inspection and certification before shipping plants or produce within=20 California or out of the state. Spread of the pests could = have dire=20 consequences for the state's agriculture industry. The ultimate goal of = the=20 state is to eradicate them before they spread = further.

The light = brown=20 apple moth, originally from Australia, probably = hitchhiked here in an illegal plant or fruit import. Approximately 1/2 = inch=20 long, the female is a plain tan bell-shaped moth. On the smaller male, = the rear=20 portion of the wings is usually colored = darker brown.=20 Larvae are small green worm-like caterpillars (leafrollers) that eat from inside nests made by = rolling up=20 leaves with webbing. They eventually form cocoons from which they emerge = as=20 moths. Unfortunately, several other moths fit the general description of = the=20 light brown apple moth. Gardeners here may bring suspect samples of = moths or=20 leafrollers to the Master=20 Gardeners.

mgsanluisobispo@ucdavis.edu.

Light = Brown Apple=20 Moth - Photo by D. Williams, Copyright UC Regents