FRUIT BORERS

Chapter 15 

FRUIT BORERS 

Wu Junxiang 

Li Yiping 

Junxw@nwsuaf.edu.cn 

lyp2003@126.com

Chapter 15 Fruit Borers 

Lecture Outline 

Wheat blossom midges 

Cotton boll borer and Oriental Tobacco 

Budworm 

Soybean borers 

Fresh fruit borers 

Dried fruit borers 

Monitoring and Management

Wheat Blossom Midges 

( 小麦吸浆虫 ) 

Wheat blossom midges = wheat midges 

Diptera, Cecidomiidae 

• Orange wheat blossom midge 

Sitodiplosis mosellana 

• Contarinia tritici

Orange wheat blossom midge 

Sitodiplosis mosellana

Contarinia tritici

1. Distribution 

‣ Cosmopolitan pests, distributed in Asia, 

Europe and North America; 

‣ Sitodiplosis mosellana favors warm 

environment. Mainly occur in wheat 

growing areas of valleys of Yellow River and 

Huai River in 31-35°N. in China. 

‣ Contarinia tritici prefers cool environment. 

Mainly distributed in wheat growing areas 

of alp and altiplano.

Oligophagous pests. Severely damage wheat, barley, 

highland barley wild oat ( 青稞 ), rey, oat and some 

weeds; 

2. Damage 

Larvae damage to wheat flowers and sucking of the 

sap of milking wheat kernels causes wheat plants to 

produce non-rich grains. Generally, the amount of 

damage is abundant. When severe damage occurs, the 

loss is almost 100%. 

幼虫危害小麦花器和吸食正在灌浆的小麦籽粒的浆液 , 造成瘪粒而 

减产 , 受害严重时几乎毁产。

Sitodiplosis mosellana

Taken by Junxiang Wu in Xushui, Hebei , 2003

Taken by Junxiang Wu in Xushui, Hebei , 2003

3. Life Cycle 

1 generation/year; 

Overwinter and oversummer as grown 

larvae with round cocoon in soil; 

Diapause larvae can prolong diapause 

for a long time. Longest prolonged time is 

more than 7 years, even 12 years to 

Sitodiplosis mosellana or less than 4-5 

years to Contarinia tritici.

Life Cycle of wheat midges

3. Life Cycle 

A close relationship occurs between the 

stages of the wheat midge and development of 

wheat found in valley areas of Yellew River 

and Huai River: 

Overwintered larvae come out from cocoon 

to surface of soil during shooting stage of 

wheat; 

Larvae pupate when wheat enters booting 

stage;

3. Life Cycle 

Adults largely emerge and oviposit during 

heading stage. 

Peak of egg hatching is concurrent with 

blossoming and grouting stage of wheat; 

Larvae become grown and leave wheat 

heads to drop into soil to oversummer and 

overwinter with round cocoons when wheat 

become mature.

4. Behaviors 

Adults fear strong light and high temp, 

so most frequent activity in early morning 

and nightfall; 

Eggs lay on wheat heads individually; 

adults prefer to choose heads without 

blossoms to oviposit; very few eggs found 

on blossomed heads; 

Newly hatched larvae intrude from gap 

between inner glume and outer glume to 

suck sap of grouting kernels

5. Environmental Factors 

1) Climate conditions 

Rainfall or soil humidity is the most 

important factor influencing population #.


2) Varieties and developmental stages of wheat 

Generally, an obvious insect resistance is found 

in wheat varieties with long awns, abundant hairs, 

upright stems, densely-ranked spikelets and hard 

glumes. Conversely, it is in a contrary manner. 

More damage is caused when the wheat heading 

stage coincides with the adult stage of wheat blossom 

midge. If these stages do not coincide, only a slight 

injury appears. 

一般地 , 芒长多刺、挺直、小穗排列紧密、颖壳厚、的品种具有明 

显的抗虫性。 

若小麦抽穗后尚未扬花前的时期与麦红吸浆虫成虫盛发期相吻合 , 

则受害重 , 反之受害就轻。


3) Rotation and culture 

4) Soil and topography 

5) Natural enemies 

宽腹姬小蜂 : parasite rate 75% or more; 

Predators: ants, spiders, ladybird 

beedles and insect-eating 

eating thrips, , etc.

Cotton Bollworm & 

Oriental Tobacco Budworm 

Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera 

(called also 棉实夜蛾 ); 

Oriental Tobacco Budworm Helicoverpa 

assulta ( 烟青虫 , called also 烟夜蛾 ); 

Lepidoptera, Noctuidae

Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera


Helicoverpa assulta

1. Distribution 

Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera: 

Asia, Oceania, Africa and Europe; 

range from 50°N. to 50°S.; 

Nationwide distribution in China; 

Constant pest in Northern cotton growing 

areas; occasional pest in southern cotton 

growing areas;


Helicoverpa assulta : 

‣ Asia, Oceania; 

‣ Nationwide distribution in China; Most 

severe damages in tobacco growing areas 

along valleys of Yellow River and Huai 

River 

1. Distribution

Tuvalu, 1991 

( 图瓦卢 —— 西太平洋岛国 )

2. Damage 

Cotton bollworm is a polyphagous pest. 

More than 200 host plants in 30 families 

recorded. Cotton, tomato and corn severely 

damaged; 

Oriental tobacco budworm is an 

oligophagous pest, only feed on tobacco, 

pepper, etc.

2. Damage 

The larvae initially feed on the leaves 

and then bore into the square/bolls and 

seeds, thrusting their heads into the bolls 

and leaving the rest of their bodies outside. 

The entry holes are large and circular at 

the base of the boll. One larva can damage 

about 10 square/bolls in a lifetime, 

maximum 18.

3. Life Cycle 

3-7 generations per year; 3 in Liao River 

and Xinjiang, 2nd causing the most damage; 

4 in Yellow River and part of Yangtsz River, 

2nd causing the most damage, next 3rd; 5 in 

most of Yangtsz River, 3rd and 4th causing 

the most damage; 6-7 in areas south of 

25°N., 3 rd , 4 th and 5th causing severe 

damage. 

Overwinter as pupa in soil-cells under 

ground

3. Life Cycle 

In cotton growing area of Yellow River 

valley, adults of overwintered generation 

appear in late April to early May. Larvae of 

1st generation mainly feed on wheat, peas, 

alfalfa, spring corn and tomatoes, etc.; enter 

soil to pupate in early-mid Jun. A large 

amount of 1st generation adults appear in 

mid-late Jun., which is the square stage of 

cotton. Larvae of 2nd generation cause the 

most severe damage to cotton.

3. Life History 

Adults of 2 nd generation appear 

copiously from late Jul. to early Aug. Most 

oviposit on cotton; a few move to tomato or 

corn fields to oviposit. Third generation 

adults appear from late Aug. to early Sep. 

Most of them lay eggs on cotton; some lay 

eggs on summer corn, tomatoes, peppers and 

sorghum. Larvae of 4th generation mature 

from late Sep. to early Oct. and enter soil of 

5-15cm depth to overwinter.

4. Main habits 

Adults: 

Are still in shadows during daytime; are 

active in nightfall and night; 

Strong tropism to nectar, light and poplar 

branches; 

Lay eggs individually on tender tips and 

leaves of plants that are growing well 

and have many squares.

4. Main habits 

Larvae: 

Newly hatched larvae feed on growing 

points and young leaves; 2nd instar larvae 

feed on squares; 3 rd to 6 th instar larvae feed 

on green bolls in addition to squares and 

flowers; 

Often move between plants; 

Cannibalism in 3rd instar larvae or older; 

Grown larvae 

pupate in soil-cells

4. Factors Influencing Population 

Optimal temp.25-28℃, RH 70%+; 

Multi-planting system is favorable 

for cotton bollworm; 

B.t cotton; 

Natural enemies.

Soybean Borers 

( 豆类食心虫 ) 

Soybean borers feed on flowers and 

pods of soybean during late growing. 

• Soybean pod borer Leguminivora 

glycinivorella ( 大豆食心虫 ) 

• Limabean pod borer Etiella zinckenella 

( 豆荚螟 ) 

• Legume pod borer Maruca testulalis ( 豆 

野螟 )

1. Soybean Pod Borer 

Leguminivora glycinivorella 

( 大豆食心虫 ) 

Called also 大豆蛀荚 

蛾 , 小红虫 , 豆荚虫 ; 

Lepidoptera; 

Olethreutidae 

( 小卷蛾科 )

2. Limabean pod borer 

Etiella zinckenella 

( 豆荚螟 ) 

Called also 豆蛀虫 ; 

Lepidoptera; 

Pyralidae.

3. Legume pod borer 

Maruca testulalis 

( 豆野螟 ) 

‣ Chinese byname is 

大豆卷叶螟 , 豇豆 

钻心虫 and 大豆螟 

蛾 ; 

‣ Lepidoptera; 

‣ Pyralidae.

3. Legume pod borer 

Maruca testulalis 

( 豆野螟 )

Borers of Pome and Stone Fruits 

( 仁果、核果类食心虫 )

1. Common Species 

• Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii ( 桃蛀果蛾 , 

桃小食心虫 , 简称 “ 桃小 ”) 

• Yellow peach moth Dichocrocis punctiferalis 

( 桃蛀野螟 , 桃蛀螟 , 桃蠹螟 , 桃斑蛀螟 ) 

• Craphlitha molesta ( 梨小食心虫 , 桃折梢虫 , 梨 

小蛀果蛾 , 东方果蠹蛾 , 梨姬食心虫 , 桃折心虫 , 

简称 “ 梨小 ”)

1. Common Species 

• Pear fruit moth Myelois pirivorella ( 梨云翅斑 

螟 , 梨大食心虫 , 简称 “ 梨大 ”) 

• Spilonota albicana ( 白小食心虫 , 简称 “ 白小 ”) 

• Grapholitha inopinata ( 苹小食心虫 , 简称 “ 苹 

小 ”) 

• Argyresthia assimilis ( 苹异银蛾 ) 

• Codling moth Laspeyresia pomonella ( 苹果蠹 

蛾 )

Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii

Yellow peach moth 

Dichocrocis punctiferalis ( 桃蛀野螟 )

Craphlitha molesta ( 梨小食心虫 )

Nephopteryx pirivorella ( 梨云翅斑螟 )

Spilonota albicana ( 白小食心虫

Grapholitha inopinata ( 苹小食心虫 )

Argyresthia assimilis ( 苹异银蛾 )

2. Distribution and Damage 

Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii( 桃蛀果蛾 ) 

Northern fruit growing areas; 

Oligophagous pest. Mainly damage apple, 

Chinese cherry ( 海棠 ), pear, apricot, 

hawthorn ( 山楂 ), Chinese date ( 枣 ), spine date 

( 酸枣 ) in Rosaceae( 蔷薇科 ) and Rhamnaceae 

( 鼠李科 ).


Apple, Chinese date and hawthorn most 

severely damaged. 

Needlepoint-like boring holes on the fruit 

surface and teardrop-like sap, which becomes 

white when dry, are often found outside holes 

on damaged apple fruits. Larvae feed inside 

fruits causing many zigzagging tunnels and 

fill these tunnels with dung. This damage is 

called “ 豆沙馅 ”. 

危害苹果 , 果面有针尖大小蛀入孔 , 孔外溢出泪珠状汁液 , 干涸呈 

白色絮状物。幼虫在果内窜食 , 虫道纵横弯曲 , 并留有大量虫粪 , 呈 

“ 豆沙馅 ” 害状。

Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii damage

Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii damage


2. Yellow peach moth Dichocrocis 

punctiferalis ( 桃蛀野螟 ) 

Nationwide distribution in China. Most 

severe damage occurs in peach growing areas 

from Hebei to south valley of Yangstz River. 

Polyphagous pest; prefer peach, guava ( 石 

榴 ); 

Heavy dung-like granules piled outside 

wormhole

Yellow peach moth 

Dichocrocis punctiferalis 

damage

Craphlitha molesta ( 梨小食心虫 ) damage

3. Life History and Habits 

1) Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii 

1-2 generations/year in most of apple 

growing areas; 

Overwinter as grown larvae underground 

with flat-round cocoons within 1m from 

stems; 

Overwintered larvae begin to come out 

from soil to pupate early-mid May, peak in 

late May to early Jun.

3. Life History and Habits 

Adults of overwintered generation appear 

in succession after late May; 

Most eggs lay on fruits individually and 

often found near pit of calyces ( 花萼 ); 

Larvae of 1st generation become grown 

and leave fruit to drop into soil from early 

Jul. to early Sep. 

Larvae of 2nd generation leave fruits from 

mid-late Aug. until Oct., then overwinter.

3. Life Cycle and Habits 

2) Yellow peach moth Dichocrocis punctiferalis 

2-4 generations/year in North, such as 2 in 

Liaoning, 3-4 in Shaanxi; 

Overwinter as grown larvae with cocoons in 

cracks of warped barks; 

Overwintered larvae begin to emerge in mid 

May, peak of eclosion in late May 

Adult peaks of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations 

occur in early Jul., early-mid Aug. and early-mid 

Sep. respectively.

3. Life Cycle and Habits 

Adults fly and mate at night and have stronger 

tropism to black light and sugar-vinegar liquor; 

Adults of overwintered generation lay most eggs 

on fruits of peach, plum ( 李 ) and apricot; other 

generations on peach, guava ( 石榴 ) and chestnut ( 板 

栗 ); 

Final grown larvae transfer and overwinter in 

late Sep.

3. Environmental factors 

Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii: 

‣ Overwintered larvae come out from soil 

to pupate: ground temp. over 20ºC and 10% 

water content in soil; 

‣ Diapause under both long photoperiod 

and short photoperiod; 

‣ 金冠 severely damaged; next 红元帅 ; 国 

光 and 祝 less.

3. Environmental factors 

Yellow peach moth Dichocrocis punctiferalis 

Strong adaptability; moth occurs in fruitgrowing 

areas of all China. 

Lower temp. in winter is a limiting factor. 

Death rate of overwinter larvae is about 

44.4%-80%, especially more in immature 

overwinter larvae.

Dry-fruit Borers 

( 干果类害虫 ) 

Dry-fruits include persimmon ( 柿子 ), 

Chinese date ( 枣 ), walnut ( 胡桃 , 核桃 )、 

chestnut ( 板栗 ), etc.

Common Insect Pests 

• Kakivoria flavofasciata ( 柿蒂虫 ) 

• Atrijuglans hetaohei ( 核桃举肢蛾 ) 

• Curculio davidi ( 栗实象甲 )

Stathmophora massinisa ( 柿蒂虫 ) 

Called also 柿 

实蛾 or 柿食心 

虫 ; 

Lepidoptera; 

Heliodinidae 

( 举肢蛾科 )

Atrijuglans hetaohei ( 核桃举肢蛾 ) 

又名核桃黑 ; Lepidoptera; Heliodinidae

Curculio davidi ( 栗实象甲 ) 

‣ Called also 栗 

象鼻虫 , 板栗象 

甲 and 栗象 ; 

‣ Coleoptera; 

‣ Curculionidae 

( 象甲科 )

Monitoring 

and 

Management

1. Survey Methods 

Wheat blossom midges: 

Basic number of oversummer and 

overwinter population; 

Dynamics of larvae development and 

pupating in spring; 

Adult # during heading stage; 

Larvae # on wheat heads.


Cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera 

Basic number of overwinter pupa; 

Adult #; 

Number of larvae and eggs; 

Number of natural enemies.


Peach fruit moth Carposina sasakii 

‣ Number of overwinter larvae; 

‣ Overwinter larva dynamics of coming 

out from soil in spring; 

‣ Adult # and dynamics; 

‣ Egg-fruit rate.

2. Control Techniques 

1) Wheat blossom midges 

In integrated pest management, from a 

long-term view, the tactics of wheat blossom 

midge control should be to put choosing and 

breeding resistant varieties and improving 

cultural techniques as basic measures, with 

chemical control as an additional measure. 

防治小麦吸浆虫的策略 , 从长远考虑应以选育抗虫品种和改进耕作 

栽培技术为基本措施 , 辅以必要的化学药剂防治 , 实行综合治理。


Cultural control 

Rational crop rotation; 

Resistant varieties. 

Chemical control 

Economic threshold: 4.5 million/hm 2 

(only reference); 

Optimal time: pupating peak and adult 

emerging peak.


2) Cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera 


Deeply plowing and irrigation in winter 

to decrease overwinter pupa; 

Plant resistant BT cotton; 

Biological control 

Release trichogrammatids 2-3 times at 

the beginning of egg peak.


Trap-killing Adults 

Black light; 

High pressure mercury light; 

Poplar branches; 

Sexual lure. 


Spray insecticides before 3 rd larvae


To control the cotton boll borer of 2nd generation, 

the insecticide solution should first be sprayed on 

tender upper leaves and main tips of plants and then 

on tender lower leaves and peripheral tips of plants. 

This method is called “ 点点划圈 ”. To control the 

cotton boll borer of 3rd and 4th generations, first 

spray plant peripheral tips and young squares 

around plants and then spray the main tips of plants. 

This method is called “ 划圈点点 ”. 

防治 2 代棉铃虫时 , 主要喷洒在棉株上部嫩叶和顶尖上 ,“ 点点划 

圈 ”; 第 3、4 代要喷洒在群尖和幼蕾上 , 四周打透 ,“ 划圈点点 ” 。


3) Control of fruit borers 


Deeply plowing soil in winter; 

Plant trapping crops such as sunflower 

and cross sorghum to lure adults of yellow 

peach borer to oviposit. Spray insecticides 

after ending of ovipositing; 

Bundle weeds on trunks to trap overwinter 

pests.


Biological control 

Applying nematode pathogens into soil 

can control fruit-borer larvae living 

underground. To control larvae having left 

fruits, release egg trichogrammatids and 

protect parasitoids such as 甲腹茧蜂 and 齿腿 

姬蜂 or use white muscardine fungi. 

将昆虫病原线虫施入土壤 , 可控制地下阶段生活的蛀果害虫。释放 

赤眼卵蜂 , 保护甲腹茧蜂、齿腿姬蜂等寄生蜂 , 利用白僵菌防治脱果幼 

虫等。


Physical control 

Black light trapping; 

Sugar-vinegar liquor 

trapping; 

Sexual lure. 

Cover-bag on fruits 

Extirpate fruits with 

borers in time; 

Scratch old and warped 

bark



Key time to spray insecticides: 

Moth peaks; 

Egg hatching peaks. 

Economic threshold:

Lepidopteran larvae consume 

1/6 of the world's daily agricultural 

production. 

Cited from 

http://www.cns.fr/externe/English/Projets/Projet_NK/organ 

isme_NK.html

FRUIT BORERS

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