Douglas-fir bud moth
- Latin name: Zeiraphera hesperiana (Mutuura & Freeman)
- French name:
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Tortricidae
Description
Distribution
British Columbia
Micro-habitat(s)
Needle
Damage, symptoms and biology
Zeiraphera hesperiana is a common innocuous solitary defoliator.Mature larva up to 15 mm long. Head, golden to chestnut brown with short black dash anterolaterally. Thoracic shield golden brown with black posterior margin. Body, yellowish with broad olive brown to chocolate brown dorsal and lateral stripes.
This species overwinters in the egg stage. Larval emergence begins in mid-May, coinciding with the opening of the new buds. Larvae are present from late May to early July. Once the larvae are mature, they drop to the ground where they pupate. Pupation lasts up to 3 weeks. Adults are in flight from July to August.
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 Zeiraphera hesperiana is Douglas-fir.
Main host(s)
Secondary host(s)
Amabilis fir, Engelmann spruce, grand fir, subalpine fir, western hemlock, western redcedar, white spruce
Photos
Dion Manastyrski Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia
Dion Manastyrski Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia