Today the threat to the world economy is not only a continuing human pandemic but the invasive chomping from one of the global insect nemesis of agriculture, the codling moth (Cydia pomonella ). This insect pest chews through precious crisp apple crops around the globe decimating fruit production and causing massive economic losses. The traditional defence by commercial orchards has been repeated blanket applications of expensive insecticides until now. RapidAIM leverages digital sensors and narrowband IoT to provide pest monitoring systems in real time, reducing the potential risk of devastating destruction to crops.
The battle
Key to a successful battle for protecting a crop is the awareness of not only the crop’s plant life cycle, but also the pest’s life cycle and behaviour. Information on which life stages are most vulnerable and the timing of the cycles, and the location of the incursions are crucial tactics in creating the best strategies to take action and coordinate attacks at the precise time and location.
The enemy pest
Codling moths have successfully colonised most apple growing regions of the world, originally through global movements from the European ‘early settlers’ and continuing through to current global trade markets, mainly via the transporting of infested fruit.
Once apple trees are in bloom the adult codling moths lay eggs on the leaves or developing fruit. After 6 to 20 days the eggs hatch and tiny young caterpillars pierce into the end of the small fruit, burrowing through to the core, to feed on the seeds. The caterpillars feed for about 3 weeks and then abandon the now destroyed fruit to form a cocoon under loose bark or on the ground before emerging into an adult moth and starting the cycle again. Their adaptation to have upto three potential cycles in a season enables the pest to be very persistent and requires multiple targeted applications of the control spraying.
Current control strategies and limitations
A major pest since the 19th century and for over 50 years the main control method for codling moths were strong organophosphate insecticides. Heavy insecticide is expensive and not sustainable for the future. Today IoT and edge computing offers a new weapon in the fight. With the RapidAIM sensor system, the presence of codling moth can be detected in real time and at specific locations, enabling alerts to be sent straight to your mobile phone so that immediate and targeted action can be taken.
RapidAIM pest monitoring is simple to use
Do away with manual trap monitoring by signing up for RapidAIM’s codling moth digital monitoring service. All you’ll need to do is download the app, scan the QR code, plug in the battery, and your real-time pest monitoring service will be live in minutes.
- See pest detections in real time including precise locations
- Add in when you spray so you can see when your control is working
- Target your pest management and reduce pesticide cost.
Photography by our Project Officer Cody Story
Codling Moth pest monitoring service is COMING SOON!
In the coming months we will be launching our new real-time Codling Moth pest monitoring service, so to be the first to deploy our Codling Moth alert service on your property sign up here to be alerted as soon as it’s live.
