Widestriped green fruitworm

Lithophane antennata (Walker)

Lepidoptera: Noctuidae

Distribution: Mainly southeastern Canada and northeastern US to the mid-Atlantic states.

Photos

Fruit drop or remain on the tree and develop corky scars. NY State Ag Experiment Station
C

L. antennata: The adult has bluish or steel gray wings marked with inconspicuous mottled patches. The light green larva is similar to O. hibisci, but white stripes and spots are more pronounced, and with a wide white band along each side (A).

Crops Affected: apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plums

Damage

Attacks all deciduous tree fruits. Larvae feed on young leaves (B) and dig tunnels in buds and young fruit, often leaving a symmetrical round hole; fruit drop when the core is injured, or otherwise remain on the tree and develop corky scars (C).

Management

Use of broad-spectrum or selective (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis) insecticides, if necessary, before or after bloom.

Similar Species

Many other fruitworm species are present in the region, but most are similar in appearance (green, with dots, dashes, lines or stripes of white, cream or yellow) and all can be considered as members of the "green fruitworm" complex. These also include Orthosia hibisci (Guenée), Speckled green fruitworm; Amphipyra pyramidoides Guenée, Humped green fruitworm; Lithophane baileyi Grote, Bailey green fruitworm and Himella fidelis Grote, fourlined green fruitworm.