Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Pine Needleminer (Exoteleia pinifoliella)

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. Brown body with dark brown head and prothoracic shield. Up to 6 mm.

Food. Jack, pitch, and other hard pines.

Life Cycle. One generation. Partly grown caterpillar overwinters in a mined needle. Mature caterpillar present from April to June.

Comments. After hatching, this caterpillar mines several needles. After it has spent the winter in a mined needle, it bores into additional needles and changes into a pupa within its last mine. At least five other needleminers infest pines in northeastern North America, including the European pine bud moth, Exoteleia dodecella, which eats the needles of introduced pines. Needles that were mined by the pine needleminer and related species are shown by Freeman (1960) and Rose et al. (1999).

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