Seasonal development
and life cycle—Green fruitworms
Green fruitworm eggs are laid on twigs and begin to hatch
when fruit buds begin to reach the cluster stage. Early
in the season, larvae feed on leaves, occasionally tying
them loosely together with silk. They begin attacking fruit
at petal fall; fruit may be almost entirely devoured or they
may have only a few bites taken out of them. Green fruitworms
have only one generation a year, and damage occurs only
in spring on very young fruit. In late May they drop to the
ground where they burrow 2 to 4 inches into the soil to
pupate. They overwinter as pupae and emerge as adults and
lay their eggs in the spring; an exception is the humped
green fruitworm, which lays its eggs in fall. | 
Larvae
feed on leaves early in the season
Superficial
damage on plum
|
