Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Pine Tube Moth (Argyrotaenia pinatubana)

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. Yellowish green body with orange to yellow brown head marked with dark brown on frons and lobes. Head also with dark brown spot near stemmata and with narrow, horizontal dark bar behind stemmata. Up to 15 mm.

Food. Mainly eastern white pine.

Life Cycle. Two generations. Pupa overwinters in silk-lined tube of needles. Mature caterpillar present mainly in June and July and again in September and October in southern New England.

Comments. The mature caterpillar lives in a silk-lined tube comprised of up to 20 needles that have been webbed together (see below). This species and the jack pine tube moth, Argyrotaenia tabulana, characteristically eat the ends of their tubes, which distinguishes them from other tubemakers on pines. The identity of the food plant is helpful for distinguishing the pine tube moth from the jack pine tube moth.

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