Green Larch Looper (Macaria sexmaculata) 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. Green body with distinct pale stripes; also purplish brown form. Yellowish green head with bluish frons. Dark green middorsal stripe edged distinctly with white; broad, white subdorsal stripe; mainly white spiracular stripe with light yellow near spiracles. Yellow band on hind margin of segments; prolegs usually blushed with whitish yellow. Up to 18 mm. Food. Eastern larch. Life Cycle. One to two generations. Pupa overwinters in soil, debris, or sphagnum moss. Mature caterpillar present from July to October. Comments. The final instar of this species has a green and a purplish brown form (see below). Ferguson (1974) has reported that both forms are green until the final instar. The green caterpillar is well camouflaged on foliage, whereas the brown one is cryptic on twigs. The darker variety is mostly purplish brown, with the dark purplish brown areas on the sides alternating with the gray areas that surround the black spiracles. In our experience, the green larch looper is the most common and the smallest species of Macaria on eastern larch. The green larch looper and other species of Macaria are more likely to have a second generation in southern than northern areas of the Northeast. The green larch looper formerly was known as Semiothisa sexmaculata.
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Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents |
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