Early season CM injury may cause fruit drop in late June or premature fruit drop later in the growing season. Figure 1 Codling moth adult. The pupal period can last from 10 days to one month, depending on spring temperatures. The first spring adults emerge near the end of May or beginning of June. A first generation female moth will lay more than 20 eggs.
Maximum egg laying occurs at dusk.
The eggs are laid singly, directly on the fruit or leaf surfaces and are extremely difficult to locate. Egg hatch takes place over 6 - 20 days, the rate varying with temperature. After hatching the young larvae seek out fruit which they enter and in which they feed and develop. Newly hatched larvae are about 2 - 3 mm long and white in colour with a dark black head capsule. The codling moth has five developmental instars or stages.