INSECT

Nantucket pine tip moth

Slash pine flower thrips

Pine conelet looper

Virginia pine sawfly

May beetles

Pine catkin sawflies

Leaffooted pine seed bug

Southern cone gall midge

Cone feeding midges

South coastal coneworm

Loblolly pine coneworm

Southern pine coneworm

Blister coneworm

INSECT OCCURRENCE ON HOST PINES

Flower and Conelet Damaging Insects - p. 4

HOST PINES

Longleaf Shortleaf Loblolly Slash Virginia

Eastern

White

Table

Mountain

No Yes

No No

No Yes

No Yes

? 7

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

? 7

Yes Yes

Yes No

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes No

No Yes

YeS Yes

Yes No

YeS ?

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

7 Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

YeS Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes

No

7

Yes

7

Yes

Yes

7

Yes

.No

Yes

Yes

7

No

No

No

No

?

Yes

Yes

?

?

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

7

?

Yes

7

?

No

?

No

?

Cone Damaging Insects - p. 13

HOST PINES

INSECT

Longleaf Shortleaf Loblolly Slash Virginia

Eastern

White

Table

Mountain

Southern pine coneworm

South coastal coneworm

Webbing coneworm

Blister coneworm

Mountain pine coneworm

Loblolly pine coneworm

Shortleaf pine cone borer

White pine cone borer

White pine cone beetle

Cone feeding midges

INSECT

Longleaf pine seedworm

Slash pine seedworm

Eastern pine seedworm

Leaffooted pine seed bug

Shieldbacked pine seed bug

Seed chalcid

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes Yes Yes

No Yes Yes

Yes Yes No

Yes Yes Yes

7 Yes No

Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes No

No No No

No No No

Yes Yes Yes

Yes

No

Yes

7

7

Yes

7

Yes

7

Yes

No

No

?

No

No

No

No

YeS

Yes

7

N o

N o

7

7

Yes

?

?

N o

N o

7

Seed Damaging insects - p. 31

HOST PINES

Longleaf Shortleaf Loblolly

Eastern Table

Slash Virginia White Mountain

Yes No

Uncommon No

No YeS

Yes YeS

Yes Yes

No No

Yes Yes

Uncommon Yes

Yt?S No

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

No No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

?

No
Distribution maps are included for all insect species, providing at a glance each insect’s expected

southern distribution. Knowledge of some distributions is incomplete. Accordingly, the range maps should

be used as general rather than absolute guides.

Insect species and their pine hosts are tabulated for each of the three damage categories (inside front

cover). Insect-host relationships are based upon our present knowledge. In some instances, insect-host

associations are uncertain; these are designated by a question mark.

A summary of insect damage periods (inside back cover) shows when each insect species is likely to

cause damage. It is a further aid in specific identification.

Illustrations and a key to the larvae of cone boring caterpillars are included because of the importance of

this group, the similarity of the damage they inflict on the host, and the likelihood of the larvae being present

in the damaged host material collected. A glossary at the end of this guide defines certain technical terms

which might be unfamiliar to the user, and a host list provides scientific names of the host species.

In identifying the insect causing damage, the reader should make use of as much information as possible. He should use the range maps, the summary of insect occurrence by host pines, the summary of insect

damage periods, keys, and color photographs. In most instances, the attacking insect may be narrowed

down to one or two species using only the colored photographs. Individual descriptions of the insects and

their damage should confirm identification in nearly all cases.
FLOWER AND CONELET DAMAGE

This category includes insects that feed primarily on the male and female flowers and developing conelets of pines. Insects that feed on flowers or conelets but which also commonly damage cones and seeds

are discussed in other sections. These insects are, however, included in the key to flower and conelet

damage.

Flower and conelet losses often are overlooked because the flowers and conelets are small and the insects feeding upon them may be minute or inconspicuous.

INSECT OCCURRENCE ON HOST PINES

FLOWER AND CONELET DAMAGE

HOST PINES

INSECT

Nantucket pine tip moth

Slash pine flower thrips

Pine conelet looper

Virginia pine sawfly

May beetles

Pine catkin sawflies

Leaffooted pine seed bug

Southern cone gall midge

Cone feeding midges

South coastal coneworm

Loblolly pine coneworm

Southern pine coneworm

Blister coneworm

Longleaf

No

No

No

No

?

Yes

Yes

7

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Shortleaf

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

?

Yes

Yes

7

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Loblolly

Yes No

No Yes

Yes Yes

Yes No

Yes ?

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

7 Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Slash

Yes

No

7

Yes

?

Yes

Yes

?

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Eastern

White

No No

No No

No No

No No

? 7

YeS ?

Yes Yes

1 ?

? ?

No No

No ?

No No

Table

Mountain

I Yes Yes Yes Yes 7 No 7

INSECT DAMAGE PERIODS

I

FEEDING PERIOD I

INSECT

I I

Jan. 1 Feb. 1 Mar.1 Apr.1 ~ayl June1 JUIY~ Aug.1 Sept.1 Oct.1 Nov.1 Dec.

arn cone aall midae I

Ithemoine coneworm I

plister coneworm
SEED AND CONE INSECTS OF SOUTHERN PINES

Bernard H. Ebel, l Thomas H. Flavel12 Loyd E Drake,3

Harry 0. Yates III, 1 and Gary L DeBarrl

This booklet is a guide to insects that limit seed production by the major pine species native to the

Southern United States. It is intended for use primarily by foresters and tree improvement workers. Major

emphasis in this guide is on insects of longleaf, shortleaf, loblolly, and slash pines. Available information is

also provided on other species, including eastern white, Virginia, and Table Mountain pine. Pitch, pond,

spruce, and sand pines are excluded for lack of pertinent data.

Research in recent years has demonstrated that insects are a major factor limiting the production of

both cone crops and viable seeds. Before the orchard manager can consider control, however, he must

know what insects are causing the damage. This guide is designed for such identification, with emphasis

on the use of damage specimens.

To most effectively use this guide, samples of the insect damage should be collected, then identified by

direct comparison with illustrations provided and by keying of damaged material.

Where it is feasible, the user may wish to collect or rear insects from the damaged host material. This

procedure may be needed to positively identify the species of insect pest. To this end, photographs, descriptions, and keys to various insect forms are included. Illustrations and descriptions of adults are also useful in

the identification of specimens captured in light traps or by other means.

The guide groups damage into three categories - flower and conelet damage, cone damage, and seed

damage.4 Each category makes up a separate section of this booklet, and each section begins with a

damage identification key. In most instances, the user should begin to identify his insect problem by referring to one of these three keys on the pages indicated:

Flower and Conelet Damage-page 5

Cone Damage - page 15

Seed Damage - page 33

These keys lead to a concise summary of the biology, damage, and importance of each insect species.

These summaries represent the concensus of the authors on information gleaned both from the literature

and personal knowledge. Hence, no attempt is made to cite the authority of each statement. However,

references are listed by number in parentheses following each species name. These numbers refer to the

selected references at the end of the guide.

1Aesearcl1 Entomologist, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Athens, Ga.

Xurrently Applications Coordinator, Canada/USA Spruce Budworm Program - West. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment

Station, Portland, Oregon.

%wrently Pesticide Specialist, Southeastern Area, Stete and Private Forestry. Atlanta, Georgia.

These reproductive structures are defined in the glossary on page 4 1.

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INSECT OCCURRENCE ON HOST PINES ........................... Inside Front Cover

INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 2

FLOWER AND CONELET DAMAGE ............................................. 4

Key to Insect Species .......................................................... 5

Nantucket pine tip moth ...................................................... 6

Slash pine flower thrips ....................................................... 7

Pineconeletlooper .......................................................... 8

Virginia pine sawfly .......................................................... 9

May beetles ............................................................... 1 0

Pine catkin sawflies .......................................................... 1 1

Southernconegallmidge ................................................... ..12

CONE DAMAGE .............................................................. 1 3

Key to Insect Species .......................................................... 1 5

Pine Coneworms .............................................................. 1 6

Southern pine coneworm ..................................................... 1 6

Blister coneworm ........................................................... 1 7

Webbing coneworm ......................................................... 20

South coastal coneworm ..................................................... 2 1

Loblolly pine coneworm ...................................................... 22

Mountain pine coneworm ................................................... ..2 3

PineCone Borers.. . . . . .:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Shortleaf pine cone borer ..................................................... 24

White pine cone borer ........................................................ 25

PineConeBeetles ............................................................. 26

White pine cone beetle ....................................................... 26

Cone Feeding Midges .......................................................... 27

Key to Mature Cone Boring Caterpillars ............................................ 28

SEED DAMAGE..............................................................3 1

Key to Insect Species .......................................................... 33

Pine Seedworms .............................................................. 34

Slash pine seedworm ...................................................... ..3 4

Longleaf pine seedworm ...................................................... 34

Eastern pine seedworm ....................................................... 34

PineSeed Bugs ............................................................... 36

Leaffooted pine seed bug ................................................... ..3 6

Shieldbacked pine seed bug ................................................... 39

Seed Chalcid ................................................................. 40

GLOSSARY .................................................................... 4 1

SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF HOSTS .................................................. 4 1

SELECTED REFERENCES ........................................................ 42

INSECT DAMAGE PERIODS ...................................... Inside Back Cover
FLOWER AND CONELET DAMAGE KEY

I

Male or female flowers and conelets attacked: larvae, if present. not greenish with

shiny black heads.

Male or female flower buds and

flowers and adjacent foliage gnawed

upon; groups of green sawfly larvae

with shiny black heads often present.

Virginia pine sawfly, p. 9

I

I

Female flower and conelet attack

I

Male flower attack; larvae feed

internally upon pollen.

Pine catkin sawflies, p. 11

i 1

r

I I

1 r 1

I

Flowers or conelets not

I

Flowers or conelets either gouged or

gouged or devoured. devoured to supporting stalk

Conelet with grossly enlarged scales

present.

r

Flowers and conelets turn brown

and abort; no visible damage

symptoms.

Southern pine seed bug, p. 36

Flower or conelet

scale surface

abraded with resin

droplets present.

Slash pine flower

thrips, p. 7

Scale surfaces intact; external resin

droplets between

scales and/or dead

scales often present; small yelloworange larvae may

be in conelet.

r

Rarely except on

cone rust infected

conelets.

Cone feeding

midges, p. 27

I

Entry hole covered

by typical resin

blister.

South coastal Blister coneworm,

coneworm. p. 2 1 p. 17

Frass present

I

I

Typically on shortleaf and Virginia

pine; extensive

webbing between

cot-relet and supporting shoot.

Nantucket pine tip

moth, p. 6

On various pines;

lacks extensive

webbing.

Coneworms, p. 16 r-i -

Primarily on slash

and longleaf pine.

Leaffooted pine

coneworm. P. 16

I

:

L

Primarily on loblolly

pine in Piedmont;

also on slash and

longleaf southward.

Loblolly pine coneworm, p. 22

5
Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionio frustrana (Cornstock) (2,48,51)

BIOLOGY. - Moths emerge from overwintering pupae and lay their

eggs on conelets or shoots in the early spring. There are two to five

generations per year, depending on latitude. Larvae injure shoots

and buds, but those of the first generation cause significant conelet

mortality by feeding directly in and on the flowers and conelets.

Minor conelet attack may also occur during the last generation in the

J

fall.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larval coloration varies with age. Young larvae are

cream colored, while mature larvae range

from light-brown to orange. Head capsule

and thoracic shield are black. In contrast to

young coneworm larvae, tip moth larvae

have no dark spots on setal bases.

Moth with forewing marked with

irregular brick-red and coffee-colored

patches separated by a background of gray

scales.

Adult (5X)

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - A newly

hatched Nantucket pine tip moth larva often bores into and destroys one or two

conelets. Minute frass on the conelet surface is the first sign of larval boring. Later, a

small quantity of resin often accumulates

around or over the lesion. When older, the

larva migrates to the supporting shoot or

another conelet, laying down a loose network of webbing between the shoot and

the adjacent injured conelet. A larva may

also enter another shoot, killing it and any

conelets it bears.

Shordeaf pine conelets killed b y larvae. (1Xl

IMPORTANCE. -Tip moths severely damage shoots in young pine plantations up to 3 meters tall (primarily

loblolly, shortleaf, and Virginia pines) and often reduce the survival of outplanted grafted stock during seed

orchard establishment. In older orchards, tip moths infest shoots during the summer and fall, destroying

buds containing embryonic flower primordia and thereby reducing flower production the following year.

Direct attacks on shortleaf pine conelets often cause losses of 30 percent or more.

6
Slash pine flower thrips, Gnophothrijs ibsws (Morgan) ( 13,18,19)

BIOLOGY. - Knowledge of the life history of the slash pine flower

thrips is incomplete. It is likely that this thrips occurs throughout the

Eastern United States (see wavy area of distribution map). Injury to

conelets, however, appears to be restricted to slash pine (see unlined

red area of distribution map).

The slash pine flower thrips damages or kills female buds and

flowers during a limited period from January through mid-February.

The minute insects hide among the bracts or scales and are seldom

visible. Pollinated flowers quickly become leathery enough to resist

additional thrips feeding, but the more severely damaged conelets

continue to abort. This thrips has also been noted on succulent new

shoots of slash and loblolly pines during the summer.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - The adults are comparatively large thrips,

about 2 mm long, and very dark-brown to black They can be either

winged or wingless.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Damaged female flower buds have resin

flowing from wounds at the tips and between the crevices formed by

abutting vegetative buds. Severely damaged buds often abort.

Once the buds open, the thrips scrape the tender scales and bracts of

the female flowers, leaving tiny, barely visible abrasions marked by beads

of resin. Individual scales and bracts are often destroyed, and if damage is

severe the flower shrivels and dies. Female flowers sustaining sublethal

damage develop into mature cones the following year, but these cones

are crooked and gnarled, with areas of sunken, deformed scales.

IMPORTANCE. - While the slash pine flower thrips

damages and destroys female flowers only on slash

pine, it is often very destructive in seed orchards of this

species. Flower mortality as high as 45 percent has

been recorded. In addition, both total and filled seed

yields from cones that develop from flowers sustaining

sublethal damage are often reduced by more than 50

percent.

Damage to conelets. (lxl Damage on developed cones. (1x1
pine conelet looper, Nqytie semi&s&s(Walker) (11,25)

BIOLOGY. - The pine conelet looper has a single generation per

year. It overwinters as an egg, presumably under bark scales. In early

spring the eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the female flowers of

slash, loblolly, and shortleaf pines. On slash pine the larvae soon

migrate to new needles, but on loblolly and shortleaf pines they continue to feed to maturity on the young conelets. Larvae often retreat

into the foliage when not feeding. Pupation occurs in a flimsy web

shelter among the needles, and adults emerge during the early summer (June in the Georgia Piedmont).

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - The mature

larva of this looper is about 2.5 to 3.0 cm

long, with an obvious brick-red dorsal stripe

flanked by yellow stripes separated by a

number of thin black and white lines. The

orange head is marked with black spots.

The moth is grayish-tan. Forewings are

marked with two dark scalloped bands running front to back

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Flowers or

conelets injured by this looper are either

gouged or completely devoured to the supporting stalk

IMPORTANCE. - This insect is usually of

minor importance but occasionally

becomes epidemic and causes noticeable

flower or conelet damage. Defoliation has

been reported on sand pine.

Adult (3X)

Larva. (2x1

Killed shortleaf pine coneh?ts. (1Xj
Virginia pine sawfly, Neodiprionpf8tfipf8ti( bar) (1,3,11)

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Newly

hatched larvae are pale green with

shiny black head capsules. Full-grown

larvae are spotted or marked with

longitudinal black stripes. They are

from 16 to 23 mm long. Adults are

seldom seen.

BIOLOGY. - The Virginia pine sawfly is the only sawfly known to

damage pine strobili. There is one generation a year. Winter is spent

in the egg stage. In the early spring, eggs hatch and the larvae feed in

groups on the previous year’s needles. Small larvae also devour

buds, flowers, and the tender bark of twigs. Full-grown larvae drop to

the ground and pupate in the soil. Adults emerge in late fall and

deposit eggs in slits along the needles.

Killed shortleaf pine flower buds and larvae (bottom). (3X)

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Large

portions of unopened flower buds or

flowers are eaten away; obvious

foliage feeding leaves tufts of needle

bases.

IMPORTANCE. - From 3 to over 9

percent of the shortleaf pine flower

crop has been destroyed when sawfly

populations were low. Much greater

mortality of female flowers can

probably be expected during sawfly

epidemics.
.

May beetles, Phyllophegs spp. ( 1 , 1 1,361

BIOLOGY. - Adults, commonly called May or June beetles, feed

nocturnally on the foliage of various pines and hardwoods. One

species, P. micans (Knoch), however, has been reported as damaging conelets of loblolly pine. Eggs are laid in small groups in the soil

at depths of 7 to 18 cm. The larvae, commonly called white grubs,

are root feeders. After feeding for 1 to 3 years, they pupate and

emerge as adults in the spring or summer.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. -

Adults are robust beetles 15 to 17

mm long. Wing covers are dull

brownish-black.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. -

Adult May beetle feeding often

leaves only the conelet stalk intact.

This injury is indistinguishable from

that caused by the pine conelet

looper.

IMPORTANCE. - The impact of

these insects on southern pine

conelet crops is unknown. Damage has only been reported from

central Louisiana. While only one

species is recorded as causing this

damage, other May beetles with

similar biologies and habits may

also damage conelets.

1 0

Adult feeding on lobbliy pine flowers. (3X)
Pine catkin sawflies, Xyek spp. (4,22 30)

BIOLOGY. - The pine catkin sawflies have one generation per year.

Adults emerge from pupae, in the soil (December-February in

northern Florida) and lay their eggs in male flower (catkin) buds of

pines. The larvae feed within the male flowers on pollen, Larval

development is synchronized with maturation of male flowers, and

the larvae drop to the ground during pollen shed, remain dormant in

the soil until winter, then pupate. Pine catkin sawfly species include

Xye/a bakeri Konow, X minor Norton, X obscura (Strobl), and

probably X dodgei Greenbaum.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. -The larvae are commonly observed in pollen extracted for pine breeding work.

They are small white grubs 3 to 5 mm long. The adults are about 3 mm long but are seldom seen.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested male flowers are often distorted and bear small white spots of

dried resin on the surface.

IMPORTANCE. - Larval damage undoubtedly reduces the amount of viable pollen; however, this loss is

usually tolerable. Effect on viability of stored pollen has not yet been studied.

Larvae emerging from dtying pine catkins. /4)d
Southern cone gall midge, Cecidomyia bisetosa Gag& (32)

BIOLOGY. - Adults emerge in late January from hypertrophied

(swollen) conelets. Eggs apparently are laid between new flower

scales, and larvae develop slowly in the scales during the year of

conelet growth. Infested conelet scales hypertrophy in response to

larval presence. Mature larvae overwinter in conelet.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Mature larvae are pale reddish-orange, about 3 mm long. Adults are delicate

mosquito-like flies.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested conelets show grossly enlarged scales; sometimes nearly all

scales are involved. Larvae are more or less embedded in the affected scales. Heavily infested conelets die

following insect emergence; lightly damaged conelets may continue to develop into deformed cones.

IMPORTANCE. - This insect was only recently found and described from northeastern Florida. In the area

of infestation, damage varied from tree to tree with as high as 32 percent of the conelets infested.

Slash pine conelet damage by the southern cone gall midge. (2lH.
CONE DAMAGE

Several kinds of larvae feed by tunneling into and within cones. Characteristically, pellets of frass (excrement) are deposited within or on the cone, often mingled with obvious strands of silken webbing. Attacked cones are easily noticed because all or parts of the cones turn brown. Such cone-damaging insects

belong to two moth families, the Pyralidae (Diorycfria spp.) and the Olethreutidae (Eucosma spp.), and one

beetle family, the Scolytidae (Conophthorus spp.). Several genera of midge flies in the family Cecidomyiidae also kill or damage cones by less obvious internal feeding.

1 3
INSECT

INSECT OCCURRENCE ON HOST PINES

HOST PINES

Eastern Table

Longleaf Shortleaf Loblolly Slash Virginia White Mountain

Southern pine coneworm

South coastal coneworm

Webbing coneworm

Blister coneworm

Mountain pine coneworm

Loblolly pine coneworm

Shortleaf pine cone borer

White pine cone borer

White pine cone beetle

Cone feeding midges

Yes YeS

Yes No

No Yes

Yes Yes

No 7

Yes YeS

No YeS

No No

No No

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes No

Yes Yes

Yes No

Yes Yes

Yes No

No No

No No

Yes Yes

YeS

No

YeS

?

7

Yes

I

Yes

?

Yt3S

No

No

7

No

No

No

NO

Yes

YC?S

7

No

No

?

7

Yt3S

7

7

No

No

7

INSECT DAMAGE PERIODS

FEEDING PERIOD

1 4
Obvious boring holes; often

covered by resin, webbing,

frass, or combination. I

No obvious boring holes;

patches of sunken, distorted,

or dead cone scales. I

Cones distorted

due to first year

damage to conelet

scales; sunken, distorted; slash pine

only.

Slash pine flower

thrips, p. 7

Dead, sunken,

resin-filled cone

scales often with

orange larvae.

Cone feeding

midges, p. 27

Entry hole without obvious

resin; frass, if present, not

tightly webbed.

I I

I

Entry hole surrounded by resin or

covered by webbed frass or a resinous

(webbed) blister.

I Extensive webbing enMany breakthroughs of cone

surface made by feeding

larva; principally on shortleaf

pine; occurs eastward from

eastern Ala.. Tenn., and Ky.

closing nonresinous

frass.

H

Webbing coneworm.

p. 20

I I

Shordeaf pine cone borer, p. 24

White pine cone

borer, p. 25

Resin blister enclosing

Blister coneworm, p. 17

Mass of resinous frass.

Southern pine coneLoblolly pine coneworm, p. 22

l For addrlionalhelp in identfiing these borers, see Key and drawings of cone boring caterpiftars On page29

and plates of larvae (page 29 :) and moths (page 30 1.
Pine Coneworms (Diofyctriio spp.)

Damage consists of larval tunnels or partly to totally excavated areas within the infested cones, Some

coneworms also feed in buds, shoots, flowers, and conelets. Six coneworm species are known to damage

southern pines.

Southern Pine coneworm. Diowtria ametda (H&t) (7, 8, 20,21, 24,27,2g, 33,4.0,~, 43.52,

5316

BIOLOGY. - The southern pine coneworm has several generations

per year with much overlapping of life stages. Male and female pine

flowers, galls caused by fusiform rust (Cronadum fusiforme Hedg. &

Hunt ex. Cumm.), injured tree stems, and cones may be infested. On

slash and longleaf pines, early-season infestations tend to occur in

flowers and shoots, in cones infected by southern cone rust

(Cronartium strobilinum (Arth.) Hedg. & Hahn), and in fusiform rust

galls. These larvae, except in gall infestations, often move on to complete development in cones. Fusiform rust galls sustain larvae through pupation, Second and subsequent

generations of larvae develop primarily in cones. Early-season infestations of loblolly pine seem to be in

fusiform rust galls, but succeeding generations infest the cones of loblolly and associated pines. Pupation

occurs within the infested material. Larvae, usually first instars, over-winter.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Mature larvae of the

southern pine coneworm are somewhat variable in

color, but tend toward dark purplish-brown above and

nearly white beneath, with greenish tints especially in

prepupal larvae. Dark elevated areas bearing setae and

black beadlike patterns of small depressions are obvious on abdominal segments.

Adults are dark brown, often appearing nearly

black, with contrasting distinct white markings.

Adult (2x)

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - A mixture of

resin and frass is usually present on the surface of infested material, but resin may be

scant or absent from maturing cones.

IMPORTANCE. - This coneworm is prevalent

throughout the Southeast and is consistently

one of the most serious pests of pine cones.

Larva. (2 1E9o Damage to loblolly pine cone. (%Xj

6Diorycrria tee&e Schaber & Wood, a similar species reported from loblolly pine in Maryland. is reported to occur sparingly in the

Southeast. It differs from D. amafeh in having grayish, much less contrasting crosslines on the forewings. It has been confused with D. yatesi

Mutuura & Munroa. which has similar wing coloration.

1 6
Blister coneworm, Di~cZria chriordis (Walker) (21,27,33,42,43,52,!53)

BIOLOGY. - The blister coneworm has three distinct generetions

per year in the Middle to Deep South. Flowers, buds, and shoots, as

well as conelets and young cones, are attacked. Mature larvae

migrate from the infested material to pupate on twigs in thin cocoons covered with bits of shoot scales.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Mature blister coneworm larvae are easily recognized by their brownishorange color, which is often tinged with gray above

and is paler beneath. Beadlike patterns of small pits are

only moderately obvious on abdominal segments.

The moth is also distinctive; each forewing has a

wide dark brownish-black band near the wing base.

The remainder of this wing is shaded in tones of brown

to black with grayish-white crosslines and markings.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested material has a

very typical silk and resin blister, filled with frass, covering the entry hole. Infested buds or conelets are usually

completely hollowed out.

IMPORTANCE. - The blister

coneworm seems of lesser importance than most coneworm

species. It often occurs on longleaf pine but feeds in buds and

shoots as well as conelets. This

feeding pattern tends to minimize losses of conelets.

Damage to shortleaf pine cones. (1 X)

1 7
Coneworm damage: (a) southern pine coneworm damage 

loblolly pine cone; (61 blister coneworm damage to shortleaf pine

cones: (c) webbing coneworm damage to loblolly pine cones: 

south coastal coneworm damage to lobloily pine cone; (e) loblolly

pine coneworm damage to loblolly pine cone; (r) mountain pine

coneworm damage to Table Mountain pine cone; (g) loblolly pine

coneworm damage to loblolly pine conelet; (h) shortleaf pine

cone borer damage to shortleaf pine cones; (i) white pine cone

borer damage to eastern white pine cones.

1 8
C (lxl d (1X)

i (1X)

h (IX)

1 9
Webbing coneworm, DiOryctrrb, disc&a Heinrich (27,33,35,42,43,52,53)

BIOLOGY. - The webbing coneworm has a single generation per

year. Moths emerge in late spring and early summer in the Georgia

Piedmont;and lay eggs. These hatch but the young larvae diapause

until the following spring. Presumably, young larvae infest male

flowers. Cones are infested early in the growing season, when older

larvae are found to be present. Mature larvae pupate in the host cone

behind a network of silken threads across the larval hole.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae of the webbing coneworm are grayish-buff above, paling beneath.

Seta-bearing elevations are pale, while the dark beadlike patterns of pits are moderately noticeable (as in

the blister coneworm).

Moths have striking yellow to orange-colored forewings, with sharp white crossbands and markings.

and often contain much silken material.

Adult (255X)

IMPORTANCE. - The webbing coneworm is occasionally abundant, causing

moderate losses of Virginia and loblolly

pine cones in the South.

Larva /3X) Damage to lobloly pine cone. (7X)
South coastal coneworm, Dioryctria &e/i Mutuura & Munroe “(21,41,63)

BIOLOGY. - The south coastal coneworm has repeated generations

per year, possibly as many as six in Florida. Spring infestations occur

in conelets infected by southern cone rust. During the summer and

early fall, cones are infested. An overwintering infestation occurs in

fusiform rust galls and infrequently in shoot material.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae of the south coastal coneworm are reddish-purple above, paling

beneath, and with greenish tints especially in fully mature larvae. Abdominal seta-bearing elevations are

brown, not conspicuous; pit patterns are pale, inconspicuous.

The forewings of the moths have white crossbands and markings which blend into the gray background.

A pair of pale-yellow spots occurs about midway along the hind margin of the forewing. Raised tufts of

scales, characteristic of many coneworm species, are lacking in this species as well as in the webbing

coneworm.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested cones generally have only frass pushed to the surface through entry holes. The south coastal coneworm is frequently a secondary invader of previously damaged cones,

such as those infested by the southern pine coneworm. Internally, the damage is a maze of galleries.

IMPORTANCE. - The rather limited distribution of this species, its spring association with diseased conelets, plus a tendency

to secondarily infest damaged cones, suggest that it be considered of less importance than the southern pine coneworm.

However, it appears to become more

prevalent in maturing cones where it obviously causes primary destruction.

Lwva. (3X)

@This has appsarsd in the literature as D. dietella (D. 81 S.) and D. abietivondla (Grote) in previous reports from the Southeastern United

States.
Loblolly pine coneworm, DiorycZri8 merkeli Mutuura & Munroe ‘(9,24,27,41,52)

HOLOGY. - The loblolly pine coneworm has one generation per

year. Young larvae overwinter, then infest flowers and shoots. Some

larvae complete development in shoots in slash and longleaf pines;

others migrate into cones. In loblolly, shortleaf, and Virginia pines,

most, if not all, larvae finish feeding in the cones. The mature larvae

remain inactive over the summer, and pupation and adult emergence occur from August to October.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Mature larvae of the loblolly pine

coneworm resemble the southern pine coneworm but are dark

bluish-black above and blue-green beneath.

The moths are also similar to those of the southern pine coneworm, but the base color of the forewing tends more toward a

medium brown with irregular patches of rust-brown. The

crossbanding and other pale markings are grayish, subtly

blending into medium brown.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Damage to flowers, shoots,

and cones by the loblolly pine coneworm resembles closely

that of the southern pine coneworm. Spring and early summer cone infestations on loblolly, shortleaf, and Virginia

pines may be attributed to the loblolly pine coneworm, but

damage by the two species cannot be separated on slash

and longleaf pines.

IMPORTANCE. - Shoot attacks followed

by cone infestations are common, particularly on loblolly pine. On this species, the

loblolly pine coneworm seems to approach

the southern pine coneworm in importance.

Damage to loblolly pine cone/et ( 1 M. Damage to lobloliy pine cone. I1 Xl

Vhis has appeared in the literature as D. zimrrwrnani(Grote) in previous reports from ths Southeastern United States

22
Mountain pine coneworm, Dioryctria y8tesiMuhwm & Munroe (41)

BIOLOGY. - Little is known about the mountain pine coneworm,

which was only recently recognized as a new species. It is known

only from Table Mountain pine cones. Pupation occurs in the infested cones, and the moths emerge in late summer and early fall

(August-September). The complete life cycle is unknown.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae of the mountain pine

coneworm resemble those of the southern pine coneworm

but are off-white to pale green, usually tinted light purplishpink on the upper surfaces.

Moths are variable in color. Forewings are slate gray to

mixed gray and brown with white crossbands and diffuse

markings somewhat similar to those of the south coastal

coneworm. Raised tufts of strongly reflexed scales on the

forewings of this coneworm separate it from the south

coastal coneworm. Hind wings are pale tan, shaded gray at

the margins.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Maturing

larvae infesting Table Mountain pine cones

produce noticeable breaks in the cone surface in addition to the entry holes. Frass accumulations, lightly webbed, are often piled

up on the upper cone surfaces and lodged

between cones.

IMPORTANCE. - This insect is apparently

prevalent only on Table Mountain pine, and

occasionally occurs locally in destructive

abundance.

Larva /2’/9(1 Damage to Table Mountain pine cone. (1 Xl

23
Pine cone Borers (EUcosm8Spp.)

Damage is similar to that of Diorycfria spp., but the riddled cones tend to be packed with a mixture of

chewings and frass with no obvious tunnel system.

Shortleaf pine cone borer, bzosm8 caxx~78 Kearfott (6,24,26,27,44)

BIOLOGY. - The shortleaf pine cone borer has a single generation

each year. Moths emerge from overwintered pupae in the soil and

lay small overlapping groups of eggs under the scales of cone stalks

in the spring (April-May). Young larvae feed in groups in immature

cones, then disperse, tending to become more solitary in subsequently infested cones. Dispersal tends to be within a major branch

system so that infested (or killed) cones within the tree crown are

noticeably grouped. When mature (June-July), the larvae drop from

the cones and pupate in the soil until the following spring.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae are light pink-purple

with brown heads. Moths are mottled in orange-brown and

silver.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - The first cones infested in

the spring are usually peppered by small exit holes created

by dispersing larvae. Subsequently attacked cones have

oval entry-exit holes (2x3 mm) near the cone base together

with small holes scattered along the cone surface where larvae break through the cone surface while feeding. Fine

chewings and frass can be present on the surface of infested

cones. The cone interior is riddled and packed with frass and

IMPORTANCE. - This insect commonly

infests shortleaf pine cones. Extent of

damage is comparable to that of coneworms. On loblolly pine it occurs less frequently and is generally of minor importance.

24

Damage to shortfeaf pine cones. /1 Xl
White pine cone borer, Eucosme tow//ionane Heinrich (1,32,44)

BIOLOGY. - Knowledge of the biology of the white pine cone borer

is incomplete. The first signs of damage appear in late spring, and

pupation and adult emergence occur in middle to late summer. The

attack pattern is similar to that of the shortleaf pine cone borer, particularly in cones of Virginia pine.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae of the white pine

cone borer are similar in size to the shortleaf pine cone

borer but are greenish-brown and do not have a distinct dark patch (anal shield) on the top of the last abdominal segment. The moths have distinct patches of

alternating rich-brown and light-tan scales on the

forewings.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Eastern white pine

cones are peppered with many small holes and

covered with patches of extruded frass. Virginia pine

cones attacked by either the white pine cone borer or

shortleaf pine cone borer are indistinguishable.

IMPORTANCE. -While relatively limited observations

have been made on this insect, its recent destructive

occurrence in young seed orchards indicates it has the

potential to be a serious pest of eastern white and

Virginia pines.

Larva. (3X)

Adult (4X)

Damage to eastern white pine cones. ( 1 Xl

25
Pine Cone Beetles (ConophZhorus spp.)

Members of this genus are the only beetles that attack healthy living cones in the South. Two other beetle genera, Ernobius and Pityophthorus, often implicated in causing pine conelet and cone losses, are

secondary invaders of dead and dying conelets and cones.

White pine cone beetle, Conophthonrs coniperde (Schwan) (1,32)

BIOLOGY. - Adults emerge in the early spring. Over a period of

about 30 days, each female attacks several cones, laying eggs in

some or all of them. The female beetle constructs a gallery down the

cone axis, laying her eggs in from 1 to 24 niches cut into the gallery

walls. The larvae feed on both seed and cone tissues. When cones

are scarce, conelets are attacked but no eggs are laid in them. There

is one generation per year, and the new adults overwinter in the infested cones.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Adult beetles are

about 3 to 4 mm long, shiny black, and covered

with moderately long erect hairs. The head is

directed downward and may not be visible from

above. Larvae are creamy-white, legless, and

somewhat C-shaped.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - The beetles

always attack the base of the cone where it joins

the stalk, usually on the underside. The entrance

hole is surrounded by a characteristic doughnutshaped mass of resin-soaked light-brown frass.

Attacked cones soon wither and die. Infested

cones feel spongy, and the interior tissues are

completely destroyed as larvae near the completion of their development.

IMPORTANCE. - In the South, the white pine

cone beetle is a serious problem in eastern white

pine seed production areas, and its occurrence is

increasing in seed orchards. Damage to eastern

white pine cone crops in the New England States

has been particularly devastating.

Atteck of eastern white pine cone, (5X)

26
Cone Feeding Midges, (Cecidomyiidse) (7,20,24,27)

Several species of midges (small flies) in the family Cecidomyiidae (Dipteral have been identified as cone pests,

BIOLOGY. - Very little information is available on the biology of cone

feeding midges attacking the southern pines. Both conelets and

cones are attacked, but damage seems to be more common on

cones. The larvae feed in groups on both the seed and cone tissues.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - The

larvae are 2 to 3 mm long, tapered,

and variable in color from nearwhite to orange. Adults are very

small and mosquito-like, with long

delicate legs and antennae (2 mm

long). Several insect genera have

been identified, but the relative importance of the individual species is

uncertain.

Pine cone scales removed to expose cone feeding midge larvae and pupae. /2$

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Cone feeding midge larvae feed between the cone scales and cause resinosis and withering of the scales.

Internally, infested cones have areas of dead resin-soaked tissue between the scales, which are notably free of any boring frass. Externally,

cone feeding midge attack is indicated by brown sunken areas on the

cone surface, often accompanied by some resinosis. This damage often

causes distortion and a decrease in size of cones.

IMPORTANCE. - Accurate estimates of the impact of cone feeding

midges on cone production are not available. Casual observations,

however, indicate that the incidence of damage is usually low.

Loblolly pine cone damage by cone

feeding midges. ( 1 Xl

27
7

KEY TO MATURE

POSTERIOR MEDIAN SUTURE CONE BORING CATERPILLARS

I

I

II

II

b

SETA ELE\IATED AREA

Head with Y-shaped suture:

beaded patterns of small dark

spotspots (pits) often obvious: larvae (pits) often obvious: larvae

usually larger (15 to 33 mm).

Coneworms

I I * ’

Prominent dark patch on

back of last abdominal

segment (anal shield);

body color usually pinkish-purple.

Shortleaf pine cone borer.

~24

Head with V-shaped suture; no

beaded body patterning; larvae

usually smaller ( 10 to 15 mm).

Cone borers

I

I

Wrthout dark patch on

back of last abdominal

segment; body color

greenish-tan.

White pine cone borer,

p. 25

Black beadlike pattern of

small spots (pits) very obvious.

L

Group I larvae

Beadlike pattern of small

spots (pits) less noticeable

to indistinct.

/

GKIUD II larvae l---l

I I 1

Color of abdomen purplishbrown above; nearly white beiow often with greenish tints.

Southern pine coneworm. p. 16

d

Color of abdomen light off-white

to purplish-pink above: off-white

THORAX ANAL SHIELD to pale-green below.

Mountain pine coneworm. P. 23

Color of abdomen dark purplish-black above; blue-green

below.

Loblolly pine conaworm. p. 22

e

L

I

Color of abdomen orange-brown

or often tinged with gray above;

paler beneath.

Blister coneworm. p. 17

Color of abdomen reddishpurple above; paler below often

with greenish tint.

South coastal coneworm. p. 2 1

4

Coneworm and cone borer larvae: la) dorsal view of coneworm larva head Y-shaped suture; (61 dorsal view of cone borer larva

head, V-shaped suture; (cl lateral view of two abdominal segments of Group I coneworm larvae; (d) lateral view of two abdominal segments of Group II coneworm larvae; (e) lateral view of generalized larva.

26
Cone boring caterpillars: (a) southern pine coneworm; (b) south coastal coneworm; (cl mountain pine coneworm; (d) loblolly

pine coneworm; (e) webbing coneworm; (fj blister coneworm; (g) shortleaf pine cone borer; (hl white pine cone borer. (2-3X)

29
a

30mm

C

28 mm

8

27 mm

g

18mm

Cone boring caterpillar adults: la) southern pine coneworm; (b) mountain pine coneworm; (cl loblolty pine coneworm; (d) south

coastal coneworm; (e) webbing coneworm; (f) blkter coneworm; /g) shortleaf pine cone borer; (h) white pine cone borer. (Actual

wingspan indicated.)

30
SEED DAMAGE

This group includes insects that feed upon developing seeds in the conelets and cones of pines. Outwardly, cones containing seeds damaged by seed bugs or infested by seed chalcids and seedworms appear healthy, even when extensive internal seed loss has occurred.

31
INSECT OCCURRENCE ON HOST PINES

HOST PINES

INSECT

Longleaf pine seedworm

Slash pine seedworm

Eastern pine seedworm

Leaffooted pine seed bug

Shieldbacked pine seed bug

Seed chalcid

Longleaf Shortleaf Loblolly Slash Virginia

Eastern

White

Table

Mountain

YeS No

Uncommon No

No Yes

Yes YeS

YeS Yes

No No

Yes Yes

Uncommon Yes

YeS No

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

No No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

?

No

INSECT DAMAGE PERIODS

32
Seed contains damaged tissue or larval frass;

larva absent.

Seed contains only larva; eastern white pine

only.

Seed chalcid, p. 40

Seed contents partially destroyed.

Pine seed bugs, 2 species, p. 36

Seed contains frass packed in concentric

layers.

Pine seedworms. 3 species, p. 34

a b d

Radkwmph of pine seed: la) swnd se& 161 empty saeo; (c) sead bug-damaged seett; (d) see&vomulemaged seea; (e) sead

chakid-damagedseed (3xJ
Pine Seedworms, Ltspeyresia spp. (5,10,20,23,34,38,39,40,4-9)

Slash pine seedworm

r

Longleaf pine seedworm

SPEClES. - In the South, three species, the slash pine seedworm, I

anaranjada Miller; the longleaf pine seedworm, L ingens Heinrich;

and the eastern pine seedworm, L tureuto (Grote), are known to

destroy seeds of one or more of the major southern pine species.

Damage is caused by larval feeding and development within maturing seeds or cones.

BIOLOGY. - The biology of all three species is similar except for the

time of adult occurrence. There is only one generation per year. In

the spring the adult moths emerge and mate, and the females lay

eggs on the cones. The eggs hatch in 3 to 6 days and the young larvae bore into the cones. Each young larva enters a seed and completely consumes the endosperm. The larva then bores its way to

another seed, leaving the excrement-filled, hollowed seed behind.

Each larva consumes from five to seven seeds during development.

In the fall, the mature larva bores to the cone axis where it overwinters. The following spring the seedworm cuts an exit hole through a

hollowed seed, neatly webbing the cut “cap” in place. It then

pupates within its cone gallery. The pupa wriggles to the exit hole

just prior to moth emergence and displaces the “cap.” The moth

then emerges from seed held between the cone scales of an open

cone.

Eastern pine seedworm

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Larvae and pupae of the

three species of seedworms are not easily separated.

The larvae are whitish with yellowish-brown heads.

They are about 1 cm long when mature. The longleaf

and eastern pine seedworm moths are almost identical. Both species have dark, slate-gray forewings with

several silvery-white crossbars that are typical of the

genus. The crossbar of scales on the tip of the forewing of the longleaf pine seedworm parallels and

touches the margin of the wingtip. The outer crossbar

of scales on the eastern pine seedworm parallels the

wingtip margin but does not touch it. Moths of the

slash pine seedworm can be easily identified by the

orange color of the forewings.

Larva and pupa in axis ofioblollypi~e cone. llxI

34
Kon’tl

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. -

There is no external evidence on

cones attacked by seedworms.

At cone maturity, most damaged seeds remain firmly stuck

in the open cones. Damaged

seeds are tightly packed with excrement and have larval

emergence holes. They are

readily identified on a radiograph. The larval galleries in the

cone axis can be exposed by bisecting the mature open cone.

Counting these galleries is a convenient method of assessing infestation levels.

IMPORTANCE. - Seedworm

damage varies considerably

among host species. Longleaf

pine seed losses up to 40 percent have been recorded. Seedworm damage to seed of other

pines is generally minor.

/4.5X) 18.5mm

(6X) 14mm

(5X) 15mm

Adults: (a) longleaf pine seadworm: (bj eastern pine seedwom%;

(c) slash pine saedworm

35
Pine Seed Bugs

Seed bugs are sucking insects that feed upon the developing pine cones. Unlike the boring larvae of the

more typical cone and seed insects, seed bugs move freely from one cone cluster to another, puncturing

through the cone scales with needlelike mouthparts to extract nutrients from individual seeds. Immature

bugs are highly mobile within the tree crown, and adult bugs are strong flyers capable of moving

throughout the orchard. Early stages are gregarious, and their concentrated feeding may kill conelets or

cones. Later stages become solitary feeders. Two species, the leaffooted pine seed bug, Leptoglossus

corcu/us (Say), and the shieldbacked pine seed bug, Tetyra bipunctafa (H.-S.), commonly occur in seed

orchards.

Leaffooted pine seed bug, Leptoglossus coradus (Say) (12,14,15,16,17,37,46)

I

I BIOLOGY. - The leaffooted pine seed bug overwinters as an adult.

Eggs are laid end to end in neat rows on pine needles. Second-stage

nymphs feed on conelets, while older nymphs and adults destroy

seed in cones. Nymphs are present from April through October, and

adults can be found feeding in the spring, summer, and fall. Several

generations are produced each year.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Adults are large, very

conspicuous bugs about 2 cm long. The most distinctive characteristic of both late-instar nymphs and

adults is the leaflike expansion of the hind legs. Adults

are brown with a white zigzag marking across the

back. The barrel-shaped eggs are cream colored when

laid, turning dark reddish-brown.

Egg masses on shot-deaf pine needles; first-stage

nymph on needle at lower left (2X)

Adult feeding on loblolly pine cone. (2X)
DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Seed bugs feed upon developing seed by inserting their mouthparts between conelet scales or by puncturing cone scales, leaving only a microscopic vestige of their visit. Aborted

conelets (or cones) lacking any obvious signs of injury, low yields of seed, high numbers of empty seed, poor

seed viability, or mold in germination tests - all these conditions may be the result of feeding by the leaffooted pine seed bug.

Damage to nearly mature seed can often be identified under magnification. Pa.rtial digestion of the seedcoat by the insect saliva .produces a fleck on the seed and sometimes the minute hole penetrating the seadcoat can be detected. Seeds damaged late in the growing season can often be identified on radiographs of

mature seeds. This technique is valuable for comparing seed bug damage among clones or among treatments in insecticide tests, but it usually provides very conservative estimates of the total impact of the leaffooted pine seed bug on seed production.

Leaffooted pine seed bug damage (left) to developing seed

in immature cone. Undamagedseed on right (3X)

Shortleaf pine conelet (right) aborted by leaffooted pine

seed bug feeding on immature seed (3X)

Slash pine seed with two seed bug feeding hok in seedcoat (10x)
Effects of seed bug feeding very with the st8ge of seed development: seed dameged early in the summer 8re f/8ttened (left); in

midsummer damaged seed often have 8 partially digested seedcoat (center); and seed damaged in the late summer are full size

but have internaldamage (right). (3X)

IMPORTANCE. - The leaffooted pine seed bug is of major importance throughout the Eastern United

States. All species of pines grown in seed orchards in the South are hosts. Since this seed bug is active

throughout the growing season, producing multiple generations each year, relatively few seed bugs per

tree cause extensive losses by aborting conelets and destroying immature seeds. The leaffooted pine seed

bug is not readily observed in orchards until cone harvest, but by then losses may have already occurred at

earlier stages of seed development. In seed orchards it is not unusual to double the yields of filled seed per

cone by protecting conelets and cones with screen-wire cages or insecticides. In some orchards, increases

in yields of filled seed per cone as high as tenfold have occurred.

38
Shieldbacked pine seed bug, Tetyra bipuncfata (H.-S.) (12,14,15,16,28)

BIOLOGY. - The shieldbacked pine seed bug overwinters as an

adult in the litter. Eggs (8 to 14) are laid in two alternate rows on living pine needles or in a random group on a cone. Older nymphs and

adults feed primarily on seed within cones. In the Lake States, the

shieldbacked pine seed bug has only one generation per year. This is

also apparently true in the South, where overwintered adults are not

observed feeding in seed orchards until early summer.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Adults

and nymphs have a shieldlike

“stinkbug” shape. Their color varies

from gray in the early stages to dark

reddish-brown with black markings as

adults. Adults are about 1.5 cm long.

The eggs are small, bright-green

spheres about 1.5 mm in diameter.

Adult (3X)

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Feeding by the nymphs and

adults of the shieldbacked pine seed bug is limited to nearly

mature seed. Much of this seed damage can be detected by

examining mature seeds. These damaged seeds cannot be

distinguished either ocularly or radiographically from seeds

damaged late in the growing season by the leaffooted pine

seed bug.

IMPORTANCE. - The shieldbacked pine seed bug is found

throughout the South, and its hosts include all the major

pine species. Peak populations of this seed bug coincide

with cone harvest, when the bugs are most frequently observed in seed orchards. Since this insect has only one

generation each year and feeding is limited to nearly mature

seed, the damage potential of the shieldbacked pine seed

bug is not nearly as great as that of the leaffooted pine seed

bug. Egg mass on loblolly pine cone. (3X)
Seed Chalcid, Megastigmus &tdhs (Walker) (I, 1 I, 47)

BIOLOGY. - During late spring the female seed chalcid wasp settles

on immature cones and inserts her long ovipositor down through the

cone scales, depositing eggs directly into the seeds. Each larva feeds

for 6 to 8 weeks, consuming the entire contents of a seed. Larvae

overwinter in the seed; pupation and adult emergence occur in the

spring. Some larvae, however, may remain in a resting condition for

up to 3 years. The adult wasp emerges in late May through a hole it

bores in the seedcoat.

INSECT IDENTIFICATION. - Adult seed chalcid wasps are only about 3 mm long and are seldom seen.

Larvae are white and legless with dark-brown to black mandibles.

DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION. - Infested seeds cannot be distinguished from sound seeds except by dissection or radiography.

IMPORTANCE. - Seed chalcid damage to eastern white pine is believed to be rare, as reports of damage

have been infrequent.

Radbgraph of eastern white pine seed: five seeds on left normal; four seeds on right. infested with seed chat&Y (3x1
GLOSSARY

ABDOMINAL SEGMENT - a subdivision of the abdomen of a larva delineated by constrictions; no more

than one pair of legs per segment.

ANAL SHIELD-a pigmented hard area on the back of last abdominal segment of a larva.

CONE - the female strobilus of pines from the time of appearance of a new conelet crop to maturity

(second growing season).

CONELET - the female strobilus of pines from the time of flower scale closure until a new flower crop is

pollinated (first growing season).

DIAPAUSE - a condition of suspended animation or arrested development during the life cycle of an

insect.

EPIDEMIC-a state of high population of an insect species.

FLOWER -the exposed male and female reproductive structure before or during pollination.

FLOWER BUD - buds which contain either male or female strobili tissues.

FRASS -solid excrement of insects.

RESIN (oleoresin) -sticky substance which exudes from injured pine tissues,

RESINOSIS - plant lesions or surrounding areas infused with resin.

SETA (pl. setae) -slender hairlike structure on insect body; a bristle.

STROBILUS - the reproductive structure of conifers.

Scientiiic Names of Hosts

Eastern white pine

Loblolly pine

Longleaf pine

Pitch pine

Sand pine

Shortleaf pine

Slash pine

Spruce pine

Table Mountain pine

Virginia pine

-

Pinus strobus L.

Pinus taeda L

Pinuspalustris Mill.

Pinusrigida Mill.

Pinus clausa (Chapm.) Vasey

Pinus echinata Mill.

Pinus eltiott2 Engelm. var. elliottii

Pinusglabra Walt.

Pinus pungens Lamb.

Pinus virginiana Mill.

4 1
SelectedRhnceB

1. Baker, W. L

1972. Eastern forest insects. USDA For. Sew., Misc. Publ. 1175,642 p. U.S. Gov. Print. Off., Washington, D.C.

2. Beat. R H.

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4 3

INSECT DAMAGE PERIODS

Flower and Conelet Damaging Insects - p. 4

I

I

FEEDING PERIOD

INSECT

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Nantucket pine tip moth

Slash nine flower thrios

Pine conelet looper

Virginia pine sawfly

Leaffooted Dine seed buo I I I

South coastal coneworm

Loblollv Dine coneworm

I

1 I I

Cone Damaging Insects - p. I 3

FEEDING PERIOD

INSECT

Blister coneworm

Mountain pine coneworm

Loblollv Dine coneworm

Shortleaf pine cone borer

White pine cone borer

White nine cone beetle

Cone feeding midges

Seed Damaging Insects - p. 31

I

FEEDING PERIOD

INSECT I