The Top 5 Apple Tree Pests (and How to Stop Them Organically)

I’ll never forget the first year we planted apple trees on the homestead. The blossoms promised baskets of crisp fruit, but by harvest, most of those apples were riddled with worms, scarred, or dropped before they ever ripened. I’d been so focused on planting that I didn’t realize how many hungry pests were waiting to take their share. That year taught me a hard truth: if you want an orchard, you’re not just planting trees—you’re planting a buffet. The question is whether the buffet belongs to your family or the bugs.

The good news? You don’t need chemicals to fight back. With the right mix of vigilance, barriers, and organic controls, you can protect your apples without poisoning the soil you’re stewarding. Let’s walk through the five biggest threats and how to stop them.

1. Codling Moth: The Worm in the Apple

If you’ve ever bitten into an apple only to find a worm inside, you’ve met the codling moth.

Identification: Watch for small holes in fruit, frass (sawdust-like droppings), or premature fruit drop. The larvae burrow deep into the apple’s core, leaving little behind for you.

How to stop them organically:

1. Hang pheromone traps as soon as blossoms fade—this helps you monitor and reduce moth activity.

2. Thin fruit and destroy any with obvious damage. Leaving them feeds the next generation.

3. Time organic sprays (Bt or spinosad) to egg hatch, usually just after petal fall.

Pro Tip: Codling moths have multiple generations per year. Missing the timing on your first spray can mean you’ll fight them all season long.

2. Apple Maggot: The Railroad Worm

Apple maggots leave fruit pitted and brown with winding trails—hence their nickname, “railroad worms.”

Prevention that works:

• Slip nylon footies or paper bags over young apples to block egg-laying.

• Hang sticky red sphere traps coated with Tanglefoot near trees.

• Pick up and destroy dropped fruit weekly—don’t give larvae a second chance.

Region Note: If you’re in humid northern states (USDA Zones 4–6), apple maggots are relentless. Bagging and diligent cleanup make a big difference.

3. Aphids: The Sap Suckers

Aphids may seem small, but their colonies spread fast. You’ll notice curled leaves, sticky honeydew, and often a line of ants farming them for sugar.

Organic controls:

• Attract beneficials like ladybugs and lacewings by planting dill, fennel, and yarrow nearby.

• Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap on colonies.

• A strong jet of water early in the morning knocks them off before they get established.

Grandma’s Tip: “If you see ants marching, you’ve got more than a picnic problem—check your trees.”

4. Borers: Silent Tree Killers

Borers work in the shadows, tunneling through trunks and weakening trees until they collapse.

Identification: Sawdust-like frass around the trunk base, oozing sap, or sudden canopy decline.

Step-by-step protection:

1. Guard trunks with white tree wraps to prevent egg-laying.

2. Mulch properly—keep bark chips away from the trunk.

3. If you suspect borers, apply beneficial nematodes around the root zone to target larvae.

Avoid This Mistake: Letting weed-whackers nick the bark. Borers are drawn to stressed, wounded trees.

5. Deer and Rabbits: Four-Legged Invaders

Sometimes the worst pests don’t have wings at all.

Signs: Rabbits leave smooth bark damage low on trunks. Deer strip leaves and buds at head height.

Organic deterrents:

• Fence young trees with 2x4 welded wire (rabbits) or full 8-foot fencing for deer. In smaller spaces, double rows of 4-foot fencing can confuse deer enough to keep them out.

• Motion-activated sprinklers or predator urine repellents add extra layers of protection.

• Protect trunks with plastic or spiral guards during winter feeding pressure.

Region Note: If you live on the suburban-rural edge, expect heavier browsing pressure.

Faith & Perspective

Planting an orchard is more than just growing food—it’s stewardship. Protecting what you plant honors the work of your hands and the Creator who gave the increase.

Scripture tie-in: “Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.” — Proverbs 27:18

Printable Checklist: Apple Tree Pest ID & Organic Solutions

I’ve pulled together a one-page guide you can print and hang in the shed. Quick pest photos, symptoms, and the organic solution that works best. Grab it here before your next walk through the orchard.

Closing: Take Back Your Harvest

Here’s the bottom line: pests will always show up, but you don’t have to let them steal your harvest. With traps, barriers, and organic sprays, you can grow apples that belong to your family—not the worms.

This week, walk your orchard and choose one pest to tackle first. Whether it’s hanging a trap, bagging a few apples, or wrapping a trunk, one small action adds up to healthier trees and better fruit.