Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Dash-lined Looper (Protoboarmia porcelaria)

Maier, C.T., C.R. Lemmon, J.M. Fengler, D.F. Schweitzer, and R.C. Reardon. 2004. Caterpillars on the Foliage of Conifers in the Northeastern United States. FHTET-2004-1. Morgantown, WV: USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team; 151 p.

Description. Grayish and brownish body with conspicuous, broken middorsal stripe; variable body color. Purplish gray head with darker, speckled herringbone pattern on angular lobes and with dark, almost rectangular, dorsal patch where lobes meet. Broken, black middorsal stripe with each dash on anterior one-third of segment. Distinct, light brown spiracular swelling on A1 to A5; black spot behind spiracle on A1 and A2 and sometimes on A3 to A5. Up to 30 mm.

Food. All conifers except possibly creeping juniper; also deciduous trees and shrubs, especially heaths, in spring.

Life Cycle. One generation in New England, and two generations in southern New Jersey. Partly grown caterpillar overwinters usually under bark or in debris. Mature caterpillar present from May to July in New England, and mainly in April and May and in July and August in southern New Jersey.

Comments. This variable caterpillar, which has both grayish and brownish forms, is another species that strongly resembles twigs. The dash-lined looper is one of the most common caterpillars encountered during the spring.

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