Cydia strobilella (Olethreutidae)

spruce seed moth

(Formerly C. youngana, formerly Laspeyresia youngana)

Adults:

The adult is a small dark grey moth with mottled forewings.

Larvae:

Larvae reach a maximum size of 10 mm. They are whitish with a dark head.

Damage:

Eggs are laid in June on the cone scales of spruce flowers. Newly hatched larvae mine directly to a seed and commence feeding. They move from seed to seed until maturity (in September) when they move into the cone axis for winter. Pupation occurs in May of the following year. There is no external evidence of damage.

Principal Hosts:

White, Englemann, Sitka and black spruce.

Economic Importance:

This species is a major pest of spruce.

References and Links:

FC: 149.

Additional Images:

Life Cycle Diagram of a closely related species that attacks ponderosa pine cones.