Apple sawfly (Hoplocampa testudinea) is an important early-season pest of apple orchards. Adult sawflies emerge during flowering and lay their eggs in apple blossoms. After hatching, the larvae feed inside developing fruitlets, causing characteristic feeding scars and premature fruit drop. Heavy infestations can significantly reduce fruit set, marketable yield, and fruit quality.
Typical symptoms of apple sawfly damage include:
Fully grown larvae leave damaged fruit and drop to the soil, where they form cocoons and remain until the following spring.
The larvae pupate in spring. 3-4 weeks later adults emerge in spring, typically during apple blossom, and lay eggs individually in open flowers or flower buds.
After hatching, larvae initially feed just beneath the fruit skin before tunnelling into developing fruit. A single larva may move between several fruitlets before completing its development.
Effective control of Apple sawfly requires an integrated approach combining monitoring and biological support.
Koppert supports the biological control of apple sawfly with Capirel, a beneficial nematode (Steinernema feltiae) that targets the soil-dwelling stage of the pest. Applied after larvae leave the fruit, the nematodes infect larvae in the soil, helping reduce the population that overwinters. In addition, mass trapping of the adults with Horiver Drystick is an effective tool to control apple sawfly populations.
As part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, beneficial nematodes contribute to long-term population suppression while reducing reliance on conventional insecticides.
