As of June 27, Sparganothis has accumulated 968 DD. Based on the DD model, Sparganothis has reached peak flight, and should have started egg laying. Reminder that a single insecticide application, i.e., post-bloom application with Delegate, Altacor, Diazinon, or Intrepid, aimed at Sparganothis larvae will likely have the greatest effect if it is timed for peak egg-hatch/larval-emergence, which is approximately 1,400 DD. I will keep you updated on these predictions as the season progresses.

Based on our degree-day model for Sparganothis fruitworm, flight initiation was predicted around 595

Life history benchmarks for Sparganothis fruitworm and associated degree-day estimates (credit: Elissa Chasen and Shawn Steffan, USDA-ARS and UW Entomology).

DD, and indeed, Sparganothis flight begun in Chatsworth, NJ, the week of June 6. As of June 21, Sparganothis has accumulated 839 DD. Based on the DD model, Sparganothis peak flight is predicted by the end of this week (884 DD). Although moths should have begun laying eggs, these eggs should not be hatching until early next week (895 DD). Reminder that a single insecticide application, i.e., post-bloom application with Delegate, Altacor, Diazinon, or Intrepid, aimed at Sparganothis larvae will likely have the greatest effect if it is timed for peak egg-hatch/larval-emergence, which is approximately 1,400 DD. I will keep you updated on these predictions as the season progresses.

Sparganothis fruitworm Adult