Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Three-streaked Sparganothis (Sparganothis tristriata)

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 to grayish green body with mostly light orange head. Head with brown spot near stemmata; prothoracic shield with light gray anterior margin and with curved, dark brown lateral margin. Faint, dark green middorsal stripe and broader subdorsal stripe; pair of offset, pale spots above subdorsal stripe on most segments. Up to 15 mm.

Food. Jack, pitch, and red pines; less commonly balsam fir, common juniper, eastern larch, eastern white pine, spruces, and possibly other conifers.

Life Cycle. Probably one generation in New England. Overwintering stage unknown. Mature caterpillar present from July to September.

Comments. The biology of this species is poorly known. Several other species of Sparganothis pass the winter as partly grown caterpillars.

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