Cosmia elisae (J.B. Smith)

Latin name: Cosmia elisae (J.B. Smith)
French name:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae

Description

Distribution

Alberta, British Columbia

This species is generally distributed throughout British Columbia from the Skeena and upper Fraser drainages south; it also occurs in mountainous western Alberta and south to California and Arizona.

Micro-habitat(s)

Needle

Damage, symptoms and biology

Cosmia elisae is a common innocuous solitary defoliator.

Mature larva up to 25 mm long. Head, green unmarked. Body, green with prominent white middorsal and subdorsal stripes; spiracular stripe white with dark green margin above.

This species overwinters in the egg stage. Larvae are present from mid-May to early July; pupation occurs from mid-June to early July and adults from emerge mid-June to July.

Canadian Forest Service Publications

https://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/search?q=

Diet and feeding behaviour

Phyllophagous : Feeds on the leaves of plants.
- Free-living defoliator: Feeds on and moves about freely on foliage.

Information on host(s)

The principal host of Cosmia elisae is Douglas-fir; other hosts include western hemlock, amabilis fir, grand fir and subalpine fir.

Main host(s)

Amabilis fir, grand fir, Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, western hemlock

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