The adult moth is a small gray-brown moth with pale, fringed hindwings. Larva, when fully developed, are 1-inch long worms with pinkish or whitish bodies and dark heads. Only fully grown larvae overwinter. Larval or pupal stages overwinter in a thick, silken cocoon under the bark of trees. Adult moths first emerge from the cocoons in the spring, when apple trees are in bloom.
Females lay eggs during flower bloom.
Young larvae tunnelling through the developing fruits feed and emerge to pupate under the tree's bark. After the larvae pupate, a new generation of codling moths emerges in the midsummer. In Missouri, three generations occur every year. Integrated Pest Management Strategies 1. Monitor for codling moth.