• Scientific name: Glena nigricaria (Barnes and McDunnough)
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Geometridae

Distribution

• British Columbia

This species occurs throughout the southern interior of British Columbia; it also occurs south to Mexico.

Damage, symptoms and biology

Glena nigricaria is a common innocuous solitary defoliator.

Mature larva to 32 mm long. Head, medium green with dark reddish brown patch on sides, white marking above front bordered on inside by reddish brown. Body, medium green with white addorsal stripes; broken white spiracular line.

This species overwinters as a pupa. Larvae are present from mid-July to early September, with peak occurrence throughout August. Pupation occurs from mid-August to September.

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 Glena nigricaria is ponderosa pine; other hosts include lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir.

Main host(s)

• Douglas-fir
• Lodgepole pine
• Ponderosa pine
• Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir
• Western larch

Secondary host(s)

• Alders

Photos

Robert W. Duncan Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

Robert W. Duncan Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

Robert W. Duncan Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

Robert W. Duncan Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

Dorso-lateral view of mid instar larva, on ponderosa pine.

Robert W. Duncan Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia