Linden Looper
Erannis tiliaria |
| USDA Forest Service. 1979. A guide to common insects and diseases of forest trees in the northeastern United States. Northeast. Area State Priv. For., For. Insect and Disease Management., Broomall, PA. p. 123, illus. |
The linden looper defoliates many tree species, including basswood, elm, maple, hickory, oak, and birch. Although affected stands usually recover, repeated defoliations can contribute to tree mortality. Under outbreak conditions, this looper is frequently found in association with the fall cankerworm. Parasites flies and viral epizootics contribute to the collapse of some outbreaks.
Overwintering eggs hatch in late April or May. Larvae feed voraciously until late June, then pupate in soil cells for about 3 months. Full-grown larvae are yellow with light-brown head capsules. Undulating black lines run the length of the dorsal surface. When mature, larvae average 11/2 inches in length. Adult females are wingless, gray to brown, and about ½ inch long. Forewings of the male moths are brownish and marked with transverse bands and dots. Wingspan averages 1½ inches. In the fall, females mate and deposit individual eggs or small groups of eggs in bark crevices. There is one generation annually.
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