Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)

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. Slug-like, densely hairy, dark green body with head usually retracted into thorax and with prominent, pale stripes. Relatively indistinct, greenish white middorsal and spiracular stripes; yellow and white subdorsal and subventral stripes. Up to 15 mm.

Food. Eastern white, jack, pitch, red, and other (hard) pines.

Life Cycle. One generation. Pupa overwinters in soil or debris. Mature caterpillar present from May to July.

Comments. This caterpillar is very well camouflaged on the needles of pines. The similar western pine elfin, Callophrys eryphon, which eats pines, and the bog elfin, C. lanoraieensis, which eats black spruce, also are found in the upper Northeast (mainly in New Hampshire and Maine). The eastern pine elfin formerly was known as Incisalia niphon.

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