The present invention has an object to provide a control method and a control apparatus for a variable wavelength optical filter, which can reliably and stably control drive conditions of the variable wavelength optical filter, independent of the number of wavelengths to be selectively separated in collective. To this end, the control apparatus for a variable wavelength optical filter according to the present invention comprises: a light reception section that takes out to receive, in collective, monitor light corresponding to each optical signal selectively separated by the variable wavelength optical filter, and creates a monitor signal a level of which is changed corresponding to the power of the received monitor light; an alternating current component extraction section that extracts an alternating current component of the monitor signal generated by the light reception section; and a tracking control section that controls the drive condition of the variable wavelength optical filter based on a level change in the alternating current component extracted by the alternating current component extraction section.