# Codling Moth

*Cydia pomonella*

The codling moth larva is the famous 'worm' traditionally depicted crawling out of a freshly picked apple.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Tortricidae › Cydia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous forests, agricultural orchards, and domestic gardens containing pome fruit trees.
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on the seeds and flesh of apples, pears, quinces, and walnuts. Adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not feed.
- **Range:** Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Australia
- **Size:** Wingspan of 15 to 22 mm; larvae grow up to 20 mm in length.
- **Lifespan:** 14 to 21 days as adults, with a total lifecycle of about 1 to 2 months.
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Pesticides, pheromone mating disruption, and biological control agents such as parasitic wasps.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. They do not bite, sting, or carry diseases, and can be safely observed. If found in home gardens, they pose a risk only to fruit trees (apples and pears). No medical action is required upon contact.

## About

The codling moth ( Cydia pomonella ) is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly dependent on fruits as a food source and thus have a significant impact on crops. The caterpillars bore into fruit and stop it from growing, which leads to premature ripening. Various means of control, including chemical,...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/d5ab3857-31af-4bd1-a20e-ad072b36f567
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47153
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydia pomonella
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/533291511/medium.jpg (Boza48, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.