SKU: 60490206248

Codling Moth Nematodes | Biological Fruit Tree Pest Control

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Description

Codling Moth Nematodes | Biological Fruit Tree Pest ControlIf you've ever bitten into a hopeful looking apple from your own tree and found a small brown tunnel running through the core or, worse, a small white maggot at the heart of it you've already met the codling moth. It's the single most destructive pest of UK apple, pear and quince trees, capable of ruining a substantial proportion of a year's crop, and one that conventional chemical sprays struggle to control without harming everything else in the

If you've ever bitten into a hopeful-looking apple from your own tree and found a small brown tunnel running through the core — or, worse, a small white maggot at the heart of it — you've already met the codling moth. It's the single most destructive pest of UK apple, pear and quince trees, capable of ruining a substantial proportion of a year's crop, and one that conventional chemical sprays struggle to control without harming everything else in the orchard.

This is the gentle, biological answer. Microscopic beneficial nematodes — naturally occurring soil organisms — that target the codling moth larvae as they crawl down the tree trunk in autumn to overwinter. From Ladybird Plant Care, our trusted suppliers of biological controls — chosen because they help us work with the garden rather than against it.

What codling moths do

The codling moth (Cydia pomonella) is a small, drab brown moth that lays its eggs on the developing fruitlets of apple, pear and quince trees in early summer. The hatched larvae — small pinkish-white caterpillars — bore directly into the young fruit, feed on the flesh and core, and gradually carve out the tunnels that ruin the apple from the inside.

By late summer and autumn the mature larvae crawl out of the fallen or ripening fruit and travel down the tree trunk, looking for sheltered crevices in the bark, in fallen leaves at the base, or in the surrounding soil. There they pupate and overwinter, ready to emerge as the next generation of moths the following spring.

That autumn migration is where biological control comes in. Treating the trunk and the ground beneath the tree in September and October — while the larvae are exposed and crawling — catches them at their most vulnerable, before they tuck themselves away for winter.

This product also targets the Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta), a closely related pest of stone fruit and apples that has similar overwintering behaviour. The mixed-species formulation handles both.

How nematodes work

The nematodes in this pack are microscopic beneficial roundworms that target moth larvae specifically. Mixed with water and applied to the bark of the trunk, the larger limbs, and the ground at the base of the tree, they move through the moist surface to find the larvae as they crawl down to overwinter, infect them, and end that generation of the pest cycle.

Crucially, they're completely safe for everything else: bees, butterflies, ladybirds, earthworms, birds, pets, children, garden plants. The targeting is genuinely specific — these nematodes target only their host species and don't affect anything else living in the bark or the soil.

When to treat — timing matters

Codling moth treatment is a one-window-a-year proposition:

  • September to October — the only effective treatment window. The mature larvae crawl down the trunk to overwinter from late August into October, and that's the moment they're exposed to nematode infection. Miss it and you wait a whole year for the next chance

Air temperature must be between 14°C and 30°C for the nematodes to work effectively. UK autumns are usually fine; an Indian-summer September into a mild October is ideal. Cold snaps below 14°C send the nematodes into dormancy.

Worth combining the treatment with the other practical things that reduce codling moth populations: clearing up fallen fruit promptly, wrapping the trunks in corrugated cardboard bands in summer (which the larvae crawl into and can be removed), and pheromone traps to monitor adult moth flights so you know when the larvae are forming. Each of these makes the others more effective.

How to apply

Full instructions come with the pack — you can also read the application guide here. In short:

  • Choose a mild, overcast day in the September–October window — dry, sunny conditions and direct strong sunlight kill the nematodes
  • Wet the tree trunk and the ground beneath it in advance — nematodes need a moist surface to move through
  • Mix the nematodes with water following the pack guidance
  • Apply with a watering can (rose removed), a hand sprayer, or a backpack sprayer directly to the trunk, the lower limbs, and the soil at the base. Coat the bark properly — the larvae are travelling down it
  • Apply in the cool of evening rather than midday, to give the nematodes the longest active period before strong sun
  • Keep the trunk and surrounding ground moist for 1–2 weeks after treatment — this is the most important part. If the bark dries out, the nematodes can't work

Re-application a fortnight after the first treatment catches any later-crawling larvae and significantly improves overall control — which is why the 2-pack and 3-pack options exist.

Choosing your pack size

Each pack treats up to 60 square metres — enough for one substantial apple or pear tree, or several smaller trained trees in an orchard or kitchen garden. Pack sizes:

  • 1 × 60 sqm — for a single tree and one autumn application
  • 2 × 60 sqm — for a single tree with a follow-up treatment a fortnight later (the recommended approach for serious infestations), or two separate trees
  • 3 × 60 sqm — for a small home orchard, or three separate trees, or two trees with follow-up applications

Ordering and despatch

Because these are live biological controls, we don't keep them on standing stock — they're ordered in fresh from Ladybird Plant Care so they reach you as effective as possible.

  • Order well in advance of when you plan to apply — the September–October window is short
  • Do not purchase outside the treatment window — outside September and October the air temperatures are wrong and treatment won't work.
  • Once your order is despatched, apply within a few days — the live nematodes don't keep indefinitely even in the fridge

What else helps

Nematodes are one important intervention, but codling moth is best tackled with a combination of measures — integrated pest management, the proper way to garden organically:

  • Clear fallen fruit promptly — any maggots inside will continue developing and become next year's moths if you let them stay on the ground
  • Bands of corrugated cardboard wrapped around the trunk in mid-summer — the larvae crawl into the corrugations to pupate; you remove and burn the bands in autumn
  • Pheromone traps — not a control measure on their own, but useful for monitoring adult flight times so you know when to expect larvae
  • Encourage natural predators — tits and other small insectivorous birds eat codling moth larvae in the trunk; a bird feeder near your fruit trees in winter encourages them to return in spring
  • Plant a diverse understorey — flowering plants beneath fruit trees draw in parasitic wasps, hoverflies and lacewings that also help with caterpillar control
  • Don't panic over the odd maggoty apple — complete elimination isn't realistic in an organic system, and small numbers of damaged fruit are part of working with nature rather than against it

The combination of nematodes in autumn, cardboard bands in summer, fallen-fruit hygiene, and a wildlife-friendly orchard usually returns a heavily-affected tree to manageable codling moth levels within two seasons.

About Ladybird Plant Care

Ladybird Plant Care are specialists in biological pest controls — gentle, naturally-derived solutions for problems that have traditionally been tackled with chemicals. We stock their range because their approach mirrors our own: work with the garden, not against it, and trust the wider ecosystem to find its own balance.

A note on managing expectations: nematode treatment works gradually. You won't see anything happen at the time — the larvae are tiny, the nematodes are microscopic, and the effects show themselves the following year when noticeably fewer apples come down with maggot tunnels through them. The work happens quietly, beneath the bark, exactly as it should.

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Lianis Castillo
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Amazing moisturizer, very hydrating! ⸻
Style: 3.38 Fl Oz (Non SPF), Style: 3.38 Fl Oz (Non SPF)
I absolutely love this moisturizer! It keeps my skin hydrated all day without feeling heavy or greasy. It’s very gentle and perfect for sensitive skin. My face feels soft, smooth, and healthy after using it. Definitely a must-have in my skincare routine. Highly recommend!
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Wild Roots Farmstead
Houston, US
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Lightweight bur actually hydrating
Style: 3.38 Fl Oz (Non SPF), Style: 3.38 Fl Oz (Non SPF)
I’ve tried so many moisturizers that either felt greasy, heavy, or just sat on top of my skin, but this La Roche-Posay moisturizer honestly surprised me. It’s super lightweight, absorbs quickly, and leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated without feeling oily. My face feels smooth and refreshed after using it instead of sticky or coated. It layers really well and doesn’t make my skin feel overloaded. Definitely one of the best moisturizers I’ve used so far.
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Sami 🛒
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Quietly effective leave-on exfoliant that smooths pores
Size: 1 Fl Oz
I bought this to tackle clogged pores and the occasional blackhead and to even out my skin without scrubbing harshly. I wanted a gentle option I could use daily without irritation, especially on the more sensitive areas around the nose and cheeks. In everyday use, I cleanse, pat dry, then apply a few drops and let it sink in. It dries down quickly, leaves no fragrance, and doesn’t feel sticky or harsh. It’s a liquid leave-on with 2% salicylic acid that helps unclog pores while smoothing dead skin, and I can follow with moisturizer and sunscreen without any trouble. What stood out the most is how it clears inside the pore and smooths texture over time. After several weeks I notice my skin looks more even and the fine lines around my eyes and mouth appear a touch softer. It feels hydrating while still doing the exfoliating job, which is nice to experience without extra dryness. A small note: there can be a brief, mild tingling if my skin is dry or I use too much at once, so I started with a smaller amount and every other day for a week. Sunscreen is still important during the day. Overall, it fits my routine well and I would rate it five stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026
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Cathy Rowell
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing exfoliating toner
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I am almost 40 and have had acne since puberty. I have tried so many products. The products that showed some improvement (like Proactiv) changed the texture of my face. Literally made my face feel like a basketball. I’ve tried some products that I’ll notice an improvement after a week or so, and the it would just stop working. I have never used something that so drastically helped my face in such a short amount of time. Notably, within 5 days my blemishes were almost gone. Within a week, my chin felt smooth instead of feeling the bumps of every clogged pore. The discoloration of my face, such as the redness, hasn’t totally disappeared, but it is improving. My face doesn’t feel oily throughout the day. My skin feels tighter, like I got a facelift. Moisturizer along with this product is important. And it is important to follow the directions and start slowly with this product. Use it every other day for the first week, gradually working your way up to daily and then twice a day. It is a shock to your skin and can dry it out if you go overboard. But for what I needed this product for, it has exceeded my expectations in every way. I couldn’t recommend it more. Just a heads up, it is applied like a toner. I expected a face wash, but it is a liquid that you apply to cotton and rub on your face. I wash with CeraVe SA cleanser, follow it with this, and apply whatever moisturizer you prefer—I’ve been using moisturizer with SPF so as to not damage my skin more than I already have.
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Audrey S.
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If you actually understand how to use it, it's amazing.
Size: 4 Fl Oz
My skin type: - Very Dry, easily dehydrated - Oily nose - Prone to stubborn acne and closed comedones - Redness on chin and cheeks (not rosacea) I already use a nightly Tretinoin cream (.04% concentration) to help with my acne and premature signs of aging but decided with my derm that incorporating a BHA would be a good idea to help with my seriously stubborn closed comedones and some irritating textural issues. It was between this and the Cerave SA lotion and I ultimately decided on this due to the higher concentration of salicylic acid. It's moisturizing, and feels sticky for the first 5-10 minutes after application but seems to sinks in to something of a satin finish on me and I can no longer feel it on my skin. You just have to be a little patient. My skin feels well hydrated and plump after it settles and looks really smooth and my pores aren't as obvious. It sits just fine under makeup for me but I'm not a new user to chemical exfoliants so I don't have lots of dead skin pilling up or sloughing off when I use it, my skin is, for the most part, already very smooth outside the acne and CCs. Occasionally I'll apply it further down my neck/decolletage than usual and WOW do I old skin just ball up and peel right away - it's so gross but also satisfying. So those that don't exfoliate often or are new to BHA/AHAs will likely have issues with foundation until their skin adjusts (but it will adjust). My advice in those cases is to either use this at night for the first few weeks or just accept going barefaced for a little while if you can. I'd strongly suggest not applying this product over anything that you feel does not dry down fully, the times I've attempted to use it after serums or heavier products it takes forever to sink in and sometimes never fully does. I save all my serums and essences for after this has absorbed and it's far easier to work with it as a result. My steps go like this most days: ACWell Licorice toner --- PC 2% BHA --- 10% Niacinamide serum --- TO Matryxil serum --- Secret Key Black Snail cream or Syn-ake cream w/ 3 drops Stratia Fortify oil --- Sunscreen. It works fairly quickly IMO, on my neck where I typically don't apply my Tret at night I noticed the peeling and balling of dead skin on day one and on my face where I have a patch of really awful CCs I noticed them getting smaller and smoother by around day 3-4. I'm going on about 8 days now and they're barely visible unless I'm right up in the mirror and feel as if they're almost gone when I touch my fingers to that area. I do have some slight peeling of the skin around my mouth and nose but it's not terrible (likely because I already exfoliate the heck out of my skin with the tret). Some tips and things keep in mind: 1) DO NOT RINSE IT OFF. I don't understand some of the top reviews advising people to do that, it says on the bottle not to rinse and nearly all chemical exfoliators are meant to be left on until the next cleansing specifically so they can do their job. If you rinse it off you're either going to prevent it from properly exfoliating or end up irritating the hell out of your skin. If you have oily skin and feel this might be heavy on you than you can probably just use this on bare skin and then sunscreen if you use in the AM or a lightweight lotion/cream and be done with it, but you need to leave it on your skin. 2) You have got to use sunscreen while you're using this product! Any BHA or AHA exfoliant causes increased sun sensitivity and you have to address that in your routine. You should already use sunscreen daily but it becomes a must when you incorporate a chemical exfoliator or you risk sun damage. 3) Less is more! Don't slop this on your face or soak a cotton pad in it, a little goes a long way and you'll be kicking yourself if you apply way too much and have to wait 20+ minutes for it to sink in. Use a shake or two and add more if needed but go easy. 4) Expect some irritation initially. Chemical exfoliants can be harsh and rough even on sturdy skin and you have to give yourself time to adjust. Over-exfoliation is a possibility but sometimes just introducing a BHA or AHA into your routine can cause some sensitivity. Don't panic and just be gentle to your skin. Use ceramides (like Cerave Skin Renewing cream) or fatty oils to soothe your face if needed and try to stay away from any harsh products or acids like Vitamin C right after applying this to avoid really burning your face.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020

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