Scientific name: Cosmia elisae (J.B. Smith)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae

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.

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

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.

Language selection

Search

Distribution

Damage, symptoms and biology

Canadian Forest Service Publications

Diet and feeding behaviour

Information on host(s)

Main host(s)