Peach twig borer—Anarsia lineatella
Peach twig borer larvae are dirty white or light brown with a black head when they first hatch. The body
turns chocolate brown as it grows and the white portions between each body segment give the appearance
of bands. Mature larvae grow to about 0.5 inch.
Identification of species | Life cycle
Damage
Larvae bore into the growing shoots of twigs and ripening fruit or nuts. Shoots and leaves wilt and die
back one to several inches from the growing tips of twigs. In fleshy fruit, injury is usually superficial.
Solutions
Tolerate low levels of damage. The most reliable control
for peach twig borer is a dormant
spray of spinosad or
spinosad and oil, applied in winter to kill overwintering
caterpillars on the tree branches. Spinosad
or Bacillus
thuringiensis, applied just as trees bloom and again
a week later, also controls the pest. Avoid spraying during
the growing season because it is difficult to time
pesticide applications effectively. Sprays must be applied
to control hatching larvae before they enter twigs or fruit. | 
