Live & Grow Issue 49

Codling Moth Breakthrough
Control Codling Moth your Home Garden
or small Orchard the Natural Way.
Madex 3 has been used in commercial apple and
pear orchards for codling moth control for over
20 years. It is an organic product based on a live
organism - the codling moth granulosis virus,
otherwise known as CpGV.
In 2019 a new product called Madex 2 was
launched into the home garden market. Madex 2
is a diluted form of Madex 3, specially formulated
for small orchards and home gardeners. It
controls codling moth caterpillars in their earliest
juvenile stages before they begin to burrow into
the fruit. Once caterpillars have burrowed deep
within the fruit, they become impossible to control;
therefore, an early application provides the best
results. Madex 2 will not control adult moths.
Madex 2 is an organic insecticide and is Bio-Gro
certified. Madex 2 should be used in conjunction
with NoPests codling moth pheromone traps.
The No Pests codling moth pheromone trap is
an effective control device for adult male moths
preparing to mate. It is also a monitoring device
for potential infestations when used early in the
season. Start spraying with Madex 2 seven days
after the first moths are caught in the traps. This
will usually be in the last week of September
or early October. Repeat applications at 7-to-
10-day intervals until mid-December. A second
infestation of young caterpillars may also occur
in mid-January. When the codling moth trap
pheromone lure expires after about six weeks of
use, a refill pack can be purchased without buying
a completely new trap.
Madex 2 is entirely safe for bees, but ensure your
sprayer has been decontaminated and well rinsed
out before spraying apples in bloom. Spray residue
from prior use of other insecticides could kill bees.
Madex is also safe for pets such as cats, dogs and
poultry that might wander into the spray zone
around trees.
Storage
Madex 2 contains live viruses and, therefore,
should be stored in a fridge in the original closed
container at less than 5°C. If not refrigerated,
Madex 2 should be stored in a cool, dry place out
of direct sunlight and used within 28 days.
Madex 2 is a very stable product, so the activity
of the virus will not be reduced if the product is
shipped without refrigeration (up to a maximum
average temperature of 25°C). However, once the
spray solution has been made up, the Madex 2
concentrate should be re-chilled in the fridge, to
ensure it does not lose its potency. When stored
appropriately at 5°C or less, this product should
last 22 months from the date of manufacture.
TIP: Remember to treat ornamental crab apple
trees as well as your fruit trees, as these may
be a source of codling moth infestation.