Damage to twigs caused by peach twig borer (PTB) and oriental fruit moth (OFM) is similar. Young shoots wilt and die back 1 to several inches from the tip. Search for caterpillars to distinguish damage from the two pests. On green and ripe fruit, oriental fruit moth bore right into the center to feed around the pit, a habit that distinguishes them from the more superficially feeding peach twig borers.
On mature larvae, use a hand lens to detect the presence of stiff bristles under the last abdominal sclerite (the rear end of the caterpillar) on mature oriental fruit moth larvae. This comb is not found on other white or pink worms, such as peach twig borer, that may occur in stone fruits.
