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Redbanded Leafroller
Redbanded leafroller, Argyrotaenia velutinana, is considered a minor pest of apples and many other deciduous fruit crops throughout most of Pennsylvania.
Description and life cycle
Adults have a wingspread of 1/2 inch. The forewing is marked with a band that widens towards the edge. Egg masses of the first brood are deposited on the undersides of larger limbs, while the eggs of the later broods are laid mostly on the upper leaf surface. Larvae are pale green with yellowish heads, and reach 5/8 inch at maturity.
This leafroller has three generations in Pennsylvania. Pupae overwinter in the groundcover. Moths emerge during April and May. First generation larvae hatch at late petal fall. Subsequent flights occur in July and late August. Larvae may be found from May to late September.
Larvae skeletonize leaves from the underside, folding and webbing them together. They feed on the fruit, especially when leaves touch it, making shallow, irregular channels.
Monitoring and management
In orchards with a history of redbanded leafroller problems, the pheromone traps should be used for monitoring moth activity. The redbanded leafroller injury can be controlled by insecticide sprays directed against the early larval instars. See Table 4-7 for the list of effective insecticides.