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Latin Name: Malacosoma californicum
Common Name: California Tent Caterpillar
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native species in North America and occurs from eastern Canada south into the northeast U.S. and west to the Pacific Coast. It is much more common in the western half of the continent.
Biology:
A single generation each year begins with an overwintering mass of eggs deposited on a branch by the female moth the previous summer, with up to 350 eggs in a single mass. The eggs hatch in the spring and the larvae immediately create a mass of webbing that they hide and feed within, feeding until late spring and early summer when they pupate on the trunks and nearby structures. The larvae continue to feed gregariously until mature. They feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees, and commonly on cherry, peach, apple, hawthorn, and other members of the rose family, as well as oak, maple, birch, and other ornamentals.
Latin Name: Prionoxystus robiniae
Common Name: Carpenterworm
Other Names: Locust borer
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native species in North America and is found throughout the United States and southern Canada and south into Mexico.
Biology:
This small family of moths has about 50 species in North America, with The Carpenterworm the largest. The larvae feed within the solid wood of deciduous trees such as locust, oak, chestnut, poplar, willow, maple, and ash, taking 3-4 years to complete their growth. They also may infest fruit trees such as apricot and pear, causing significant damage due to the large size of the larva as it grows, particularly when the larva is feeding within large branches that may then weaken and fall. Adult moths emerge from the overwintering pupae in early spring, mating and depositing eggs on new host trees. The larvae initially feed in the sapwood but move to the heartwood
Latin Name: Cydia pomonella
Common Name: Codling Moth
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
It is believed that this moth originated in Asia and moved into Europe many centuries ago. It was then brought into North America in infested materials during colonial times and was discovered on the Pacific Coast states by 1872. It now is found worldwide wherever suitable host plants are grown.
Biology:
This is the usual “worm in the apple” species of moth, but the larvae also infest pears, apricots, peaches, and walnuts. It has the potential to destroy or damage nearly all of the crop on a single tree. The adult moths are active from April through November in warmer regions, and females can lay eggs throughout the summer months, extending the period when control efforts are required. The final larva overwinters in a cocoon attached to the bark of the tree or in plant debris below the tree, pupating in early spring. Adults emerge a short
Latin Name: Vespamima ovaroensis
Common Name: Douglas-fir Pitch Moth
Other Names: Sequoia pitch moth – V. sequoiae
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native moths in western North America.
Biology:
These two closely related species of moths occur in western North America, and feed within the trunks of many kinds of conifers. Their feeding generally causes no actual damage to the infested tree except when it is occurring at a junction of a limb, in which case it may weaken the limb and kill it or cause it to fall off. The main concern is the ugly white sap that runs out of the entry wound in the tree, often flowing in copious quantities down the trunk from that point and causing a loss of aesthetic value, or accumulating in a large blob on the trunk. Future female moths may be drawn to that point to deposit more eggs. Adult moths emerge from the overwintering pupa, which may extrude from the hole in the trunk,
Latin Name: Malacosoma americanum
Common Name: Eastern Tent Caterpillar
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native species in North America and occurs commonly in the eastern half from the Rockies to the east coast and eastern Canada.
Biology:
A single generation each year begins with an overwintering mass of eggs deposited on a branch by the female moth the previous summer, with up to 350 eggs in a single mass. The eggs hatch in the spring and the larvae immediately create a mass of webbing that they hide and feed within, feeding until late spring and early summer when they pupate on the trunks and nearby structures. The larvae continue to feed gregariously until mature. They feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees, and commonly on cherry, peach, apple, hawthorn, and other members of the rose family, as well as oak, maple, birch, and other ornamentals. In heavy infestations entire trees will be defoliated,
Latin Name: Ostrinia nubilalis
Common Name: European Corn Borer
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
This species is native to Europe, but was introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900’s with infested plant materials grown for making brooms. It now is common throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains.
Biology:
This moth is a serious pest of corn, but also feeds on oats, barley, beans, potatoes and other agricultural crops as well as many ornamental plants. It is known to feed on over 200 varieties of plants. Females deposit up to 600 eggs on the undersides of leaves in small clusters of 15-20 eggs. The larvae feed first on the tassels and leaves and later by burrowing within the stem between the corn stalk and the developing ear. They overwinter as the late stage larva in a cell in the soil and pupate in the spring. In northern regions there is a single generation each year, but 3-4 generations annually in the South.
Identification:
Latin Name: Spodoptera frugiperda
Common Name: Fall Armyworm
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native of North and South America and is found throughout the warmer regions of these continents. It does not survive the winters in cooler northern states but may migrate northward during the summer.
Biology:
Being native to tropical areas this moth may have only a single generation in northern states but up to 4 generations per year in the Gulf states. The complete life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as 1 month in warm regions, but require up to 3 months in cooler climates. Preferred host plants are corn and sorghum as well as Bermudagrass and other grass weeds. A variety of other agricultural crops are also attacked including wheat, cotton, peanuts, and rice, as well as the foliage of many fruit trees and occasional ornamental plants. Females are capable of laying over 2,000 eggs, usually in masses
Latin Name: Alsophila pometaria
Common Name: Fall Cankerworm
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
Native to North America and found throughout southern Canada and the eastern half of the U.S. as well as in California and Colorado.
Biology:
The larvae feed on a wide variety of trees, including oak, elm, maple, cherry, walnut, hickory, and members of the rose family such as apple and pear. There is a single brood each year. The female deposits her eggs in large clusters on the twigs of the host trees. The larvae feed for several weeks and then drop or crawl to the soil to pupate, remaining in the pupa in the soil until fall when the adults emerge. These mate and eggs are laid on the twigs and will overwinter, hatching in the spring to coincide with emerging growth of new leaves. The female is wingless and unable to fly, so she crawls up the tree to seek high points on the small twigs for her eggs.
Identification:
Adult
Latin Name: Hyphantria cunea
Common Name: Fall Webworm
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
This species is native to North America, but in the 1940’s was accidentally introduced to Europe, eventually spreading throughout Europe and east into much of northeastern Asia. In North America it is found throughout the U.S., much of Canada, and south into Mexico.
Biology:
The moth overwinters as a pupa within a silk cocoon that is hidden under loose edges of bark. The adult moth emerges in the spring with warm weather, usually as early as March in southern regions and May in northern regions. Females then deposit a mass of up to 1,500 eggs on the underside of a leaf on the host tree, covering the eggs with hairs from her abdomen. The larvae undergo as many as 11 molts before maturity and spin small webs around themselves as they feed. In heavy infestations these webs from all the larvae may ultimately enclose an entire
Latin Name: Litoprosopus coachellae
Common Name: Fan Palm Caterpillar
Latin Family Name: Noctuidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
Native to the western United States, and found primarily in the Southwest states of California and Arizona.
Biology:
The larvae of this moth feed on the blossoms of palm trees, and once they are ready to pupate they will move down the trunk to seek a protected location. If there are sufficient dead fronds on the tree the larvae chew fibers from them to construct their cocoon, but often may find their way into structures where they are known to cause extensive damage to clothing or carpets as they gather fibers for their cocoon.
Identification:
The larvae are relatively large, being about 1.5 inches long when mature, and they usually have a pink or pinkish-brown tint to them. The adults have light tan wings, with 2 darker lines across the forewings and with