For successful pest management, codlemone (E, E-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol) is widely used to monitor codling moth. The pheromone release rate is essential for the lure's attractiveness. The optimal sex pheromone release rate (V 0 ) for trapping codling moth was evaluated during 2013-2014. The overwinter generation V 0 was 6.7-33.4 μg wk −1 , and moth catches (MCs) were 0.82 ± 0.11 adults/trap/week; MCs for lower (V 1 ) and higher (V 2 ) release rates were 52.4% and 46.3%, respectively, of that for V 0 . The first generation V 0 was 18.4-29.6 μg wk The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an important pome fruit pest all over the world and causes serious damage to apple (Malus domestica Borkhausen), pear (Pyrus communis L.) and walnut (Juglans regia L.) 1,2 . It is not only an invasive species but also an important quarantine pest in China. To date, the codling moth has been found in 7 provinces in China, including Xinjing, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning, posing a grave threat to the two major apple production areas in China, Shandong and Shanxi provinces 3 . Trapping the male codling moth using its sex pheromone (codlemone, E, E-8, 10-dodecadien-1-ol) is the most successful technique for the monitoring of this species. The initial loading rate is an important criterion for the manufacture of dispensers and has been widely studied. A commonly used loading rate for codling moth monitoring is 1 mg sex pheromone [4][5][6] . However, the same loading rate may have different release rates due to the use of different dispenser materials and/or under different environmental conditions, leading to different trapping efficiencies. Therefore, the loading rate is not a reasonable criterion to use to evaluate whether a sex pheromone dispenser performs well. Whatever dispenser is used, the amount of sex pheromone released to the surrounding air per unit time (sex pheromone release rates) is the key factor that determines adult catches. The pheromone release rate that achieves maximum moth catches is termed the optimal sex pheromone release rate (V 0 ). V 0 can catch significantly more adults than lower (V 1 ) or higher (V 2 ) release rates.A previous study has reported the response of the codling moth to different release rates of codlemone in the field in its native distribution area, Spain. At a range of 11-1078 μ g d −1 (77-7546 μ g wk), the pheromone release rate of 11-67 μ g d −1 (77-469 μ g wk −1 ) achieved the maximum male catches 7 . However, as an invasive pest in China, the codling moth has experienced a long period of diffusion and dissemination, adapting to various ecological environments and diversified host plants, which leads to different V 0 for its trapping. In addition, the previous study 7 did not use pheromone release rates < 77 μ g wk −1 and did not consider studying different generations.