Green fruitworm
Insect
Green fruitworm (or speckled green fruitworm)
Orthosia hibisci (Guenee)
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution: Mainly southeastern Canada and northeastern US to the mid-Atlantic states.
Immature larvae of the green fruitworm (GFW) feed on flower buds and new foliage. Mature larvae feed on blossoms, developing fruit and leaves. Early feeding injury often causes fruit to abort. Fruit remaining on the tree after GFW feeding exhibit deep holes sealed over with corky scar tissue.
Monitoring: Use pheromone traps to monitor for adult emergence, generally around budburst in Michigan. Visually inspect fruit and leaves for larvae or signs of larval feeding. Examine 20 fruit clusters per tree (outside, inside, and top of tree) on five trees per orchard. Treat if there is an average of two or more larvae per tree or evidence of fresh feeding.