[Objectives]  Fruit preferences and the primary sensory organ used by Grapholitha molesta larvae to select fruit were identified. [Methods]  The number of G. molesta larvae of different instars found on different fruits, and the number of different developmental stages found on the same fruit, and on cut fruits, were recorded and compared. We also compared the numbers of larvae that had had one, two, or all three, sensory organs, experimentally inactivated, on different fruits under laboratory conditions. [Results]  Numbers of first instar larvae on Fengbai peach, Fuji apple, Xiaguang nectarine were 12.00, 8.67 and 9.00, respectively, and numbers on Zaosu pear, Gala apple and Huangguan pear were 2.00, 1.00 and 1.00, respectively. The number of fifth instar larvae on Fengbai peach, Fuji apple, Xiaguang nectarine, Zaosu pear, Gala apple and Huangguan pear was 8.67, 7.00, 6.00, 5.33, 4.00 and 3.67, respectively. The number of larvae found on mature Fengbai peach, Xiaguang nectarine, Fuji apple was significantly higher than that found on immature or early mature fruit. The number of larvae on cut Fengbai peach, Xiaguang nectarine and Fuji apple was significantly higher than that on uncut fruit. 7.33-10.00 larvae that had a single antennae, labial palpus+ maxillary palp or thoracic legs experimentally inactivated, no longer displayed any preference for specific fruits. There was no difference in the number of unselective larvae that had had two kinds of sensory organs inactivated and those that had had only their antennae inactivated. 17.67 larvae that had had all three sensory organs inactivated could not select host fruits. [Conclusion]  G. molesta larvae have the ability to select host fruits, and this ability changes with larval development. The antennae are the most important sensory organ used in host fruit selection.