We keep a codling moth colony on an artificial diet since 2002 - for details, see:
Fuková I., Nguyen P., Marec F. (2005) Codling moth cytogenetics: karyotype, chromosomal location of rDNA, and molecular differentiation of sex chromosomes. Genome 48: 1083-1092. DOI: 10.1139/G05-063
I attach our protocol for rearing and also a protocol for preparation of the articial diet.
You can find more information about rearing codling moth colony in this book: World crop pest: Tortricid Pests, 1st Edition, Print Book ISBN :9780444880000. Also you can buy some ready-mix diet from Southland Products: http://www.tecinfo.com/~southland/pricelist.html
It depends of the purpose. You have to start with collecting larvae of first generation and to hold them in condition of 18 h laight to select larvae which will develp without diapause. If you do not want changing the quality of the moths it will be better to use unripe apples.
I would like to thank every one for their inputs. My first step would be to bioassay the field collected individuals from our Durham region (Ontario) against OP, carbamates and neonicotinoids. I can then start a lab colony of susceptible and resistant strains.
There are two methods for rearing codling moth in the book Handbook of Insect Rearing Vol.II edited by Pritam Singh and R.F. Moore (published by Elsevier in 1985). They provide very detailed information on both the methods and diets to use. The FAO also has a handbook for rearing it for use in sterile insect programs (see attachment)
There are very easy resistance detection test developed by Charmillot - Detection de la resistance du carpocapse Cydia pomonella -Charmillot, P. J., D. Pasquier, Ch. Salamin, F. Briand, Ter-Hovannesyan, A. Azizan, H. Kutinkova, P. Peeva, N.Velcheva.
Revue suisse de viticulture arboriculture horticulture , Novembre-Decembre, 2007, vol 39, 6, 385-389 ( in French)
Look down for the species list and click on "codling moth" for a pdf that detail the diet and methods used.
Because the larvae are cannibalistic, they are reared in small diet cups, only 2-3 per cup. There is a fair amount of labor involved in rearing this insect.