Conifer-feeding
Guides
Argyrotaenia dorsalana
Argyrotaenia dorsalana is a small tortricid moth of western North America, with a wingspan of 18–24 mm. The species is associated with coniferous forests, where its larvae feed primarily on Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western larch. Adults emerge in late June following a brief larval period in spring and overwintering in the egg stage.
Argyrotaenia lautana
Argyrotaenia lautana is a species of leafroller moth in the family Tortricidae, described by Powell in 1960. It is known from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species is associated with coniferous forests, with larvae feeding on white fir and bigcone Douglas-fir.
Argyrotaenia paiuteana
Argyrotaenia paiuteana is a small tortricid moth described by Powell in 1960. It is known only from California, where adults fly from May through August. The species is associated with coniferous hosts, with larvae feeding on singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis).
Choristoneura carnana
Choristoneura carnana is a species of tortricid moth first described from the western United States in 1920. It is a conifer-feeding specialist with documented larval associations with fir and Douglas-fir species. The species exhibits a relatively broad adult flight period spanning late spring through summer. Two subspecies are recognized, differing in geographic distribution within the species' range.
Cimberidini
Cimberidini is a small tribe of leaf-rolling weevils (Attelabidae) distinguished by their association with coniferous host plants, primarily in the family Pinaceae. The tribe contains the genus Cimberis, whose species are specialized on conifer foliage and cones. These weevils exhibit the characteristic leaf-rolling or leaf-folding behavior of the subfamily Attelabinae, though modified for conifer hosts. The tribe has a Holarctic distribution with species found in North America and Eurasia.
Coleotechnites blastovora
Coleotechnites blastovora is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by McLeod in 1962. The species is found across central and western Canada, with records from Quebec, New Brunswick, and the prairie provinces. Its larvae are specialized feeders on conifers in the genera Picea and Abies, where they mine the needles. The species was originally described under the genus Eucordylea before being transferred to Coleotechnites.
Coleotechnites florae
Coleotechnites Flower Moth
Coleotechnites florae is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Freeman in 1960. It occurs across much of North America, with records spanning from western Canada through the eastern and southern United States. The species is associated with coniferous habitats, and its larvae feed on Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine).
Coloradia
pinemoths
Coloradia is a genus of large saturniid moths comprising nine described species distributed in Mexico and eastern North America. Adults are predominantly grey in coloration. Larvae feed primarily on pines (Pinaceae), though Coloradia pandora has been recorded on aspen (Populus). Members are commonly referred to as pinemoths. The genus was established by C. A. Blake in 1863.
Diedra
Diedra is a genus of tortricid moths established by Rubinoff & Powell in 1999. The genus contains five described species, all native to western North America. Most species were described from California and associated with coniferous host plants. The genus is placed in the tribe Archipini within the subfamily Tortricinae.
Epinotia radicana
Red-striped Needleworm Moth
Epinotia radicana is a small tortricid moth known for its association with coniferous forests across northern North America. The species is recognized by its common name referencing the reddish larval stripes and needle-feeding habits. It has been documented from western Canada through to the northeastern United States, with a life cycle tightly synchronized to the phenology of its host trees. The species is not considered a significant forest pest despite its widespread occurrence in spruce-fir ecosystems.
Eucopina ponderosa
Eucopina ponderosa is a species of tortricid moth in the subfamily Olethreutinae, described by Powell in 1968. The species epithet "ponderosa" suggests a likely association with ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a common pattern among Eucopina species which are generally conifer-feeding specialists. The genus Eucopina contains small moths whose larvae typically develop as shoot borers or cone feeders on Pinaceae.
Eupithecia longipalpata
Long-palp Pug
Eupithecia longipalpata is a species of pug moth in the family Geometridae, first described by Packard in 1876. It is distinguished from other members of the palpata group by its larger wingspan of 23–26 mm. The species occurs in western North America from coastal British Columbia south to northern California. Larvae feed exclusively on conifer needles, with documented hosts spanning multiple genera including Abies, Pseudotsuga, Tsuga, Thuja, Picea, and Pinus.
Eusattodera pini
Eusattodera pini is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is a member of the flea beetle tribe Alticini, characterized by enlarged hind femora adapted for jumping. The species is native to North America and feeds on pine foliage.
Isoparce
Isoparce is a genus of sphinx moths (family Sphingidae) established by Walter Rothschild and Karl Jordan in 1903. The genus contains two recognized species: Isoparce cupressi, described from North America in 1875, and Isoparce broui, described from Southeast Asia in 2001. Both species are associated with coniferous host plants.
Macaria bicolorata
bicolored angle, Southern Pine and Cypress Angles
Macaria bicolorata, commonly known as the bicolored angle, is a geometrid moth native to Eastern North America. Adults are active from May through August, with timing varying by location. The species has a wingspan of approximately 30 mm. Larvae feed on Pinus species, establishing a specific host relationship with conifers.
Macaria signaria
dusky peacock, pale-marked angle, spruce-fir looper, Northern Conifer Angles
Macaria signaria is a small geometrid moth with a wingspan of 20–28 mm. Two subspecies are recognized: M. s. signaria across Eurasia and M. s. dispuncta in North America. The species is associated with coniferous forests and has been documented feeding on spruce and larch as larvae.
Malacodea pulchraria
A Nearctic geometrid moth transferred from the genus Epirrita to Malacodea based on molecular phylogenetic evidence. It forms a sister-taxon relationship with the Palearctic Malacodea regelaria, with both species sharing conifer-feeding larvae that distinguish them from other Operophterini. Male genital morphology supports this close phylogenetic relationship. The species was originally described by Taylor in 1907.
Melanolophia imitata
Western Carpet, Green-striped Forest Looper
A spring-flying geometrid moth of western North America, notable for large, pale adults that occur in consistently high abundance. Adults fly during late evening and are less attracted to light than many moth species. The species shows minimal migratory movement but can form dense aggregations that create visible 'clouds' in forested habitats. Larvae are conifer-feeding loopers that prefer Douglas fir, Tsuga, and Abies.
Monoctenus
Monoctenus is a genus of conifer-feeding sawflies in the family Diprionidae, established by Dahlbom in 1835. The genus includes at least two recognized species: M. juniperi and M. obscuratus. These sawflies are associated with juniper hosts and have been recorded from Europe and North America.
Ocnerostoma strobivorum
Ocnerostoma strobivorum is a species of ermine moth in the family Yponomeutidae, described by Freeman in 1961. The specific epithet 'strobivorum' indicates an association with conifer cones (strobili), suggesting larval feeding habits. As a member of the genus Ocnerostoma, it belongs to a group of small moths whose larvae often feed on coniferous plants. The species is poorly documented in public literature, with limited biological information available beyond taxonomic records.
Panthea acronyctoides
Black Zigzag, Tufted Spruce Caterpillar, Black Zigzag Moth
A medium-sized noctuid moth found across northern North America, with two recognized subspecies. Adults fly from May to August and are attracted to light. Larvae feed on coniferous trees, particularly spruces and firs, and are known as the 'tufted spruce caterpillar' due to their distinctive appearance.
Panthea furcilla
Eastern Panthea Moth, Tufted White Pine Caterpillar
Panthea furcilla is a noctuid moth occurring across boreal Canada and the eastern United States. Adults fly from June to August, with a single generation in Canada and multiple generations in the southern United States. The species is notable for its association with coniferous trees, with larvae feeding on pines, spruces, and eastern larch. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate P. f. furcilla and the southern P. f. australis.
Paralobesia piceana
Paralobesia piceana is a tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae. It was described by Freeman in 1941. The species has been documented feeding on Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in West Virginia, representing both a new host record and a new state record for this poorly known species.
Symmerista schmidti
Symmerista schmidti is a moth species in the family Notodontidae (prominent moths), described by Miller in 2021. It belongs to the genus Symmerista, which contains several species of caterpillars that serve as hosts for parasitoid wasps, particularly thread-waisted wasps in the genus Ammophila. The genus Symmerista is known for caterpillars that feed on conifer foliage and display cryptic coloration resembling bark or wood.
Tetracis pallulata
Tetracis pallulata is a geometrid moth first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1887. The species is restricted to western North America, with adults active in late summer and fall. Larvae feed on conifers in several genera including Abies, Picea, Pseudotsuga, and Tsuga. The species has been treated under the synonym Synaxis pallulata in some taxonomic treatments.
Thera
Thera is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae, subfamily Larentiinae, established by Stephens in 1831. The genus comprises numerous species distributed primarily across the Northern Hemisphere. Thera moths are small to medium-sized geometrids with relatively broad wings and cryptic coloration patterns. Larvae typically feed on coniferous trees, making several species economically significant as forest pests.
Tolype distincta
Tolype distincta is a species of lappet moth in the family Lasiocampidae, native to western North America. The larvae feed on conifers in the family Pinaceae, including Douglas fir, true firs, and western hemlock. The species inhabits moist to mesic coniferous forests across a range extending from the Pacific Northwest to the Southwestern United States and eastward to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
Ypsolopha dentiferella
Ypsolopha dentiferella is a small moth in the family Ypsolophidae, first described by Lord Walsingham in 1881. It is widely distributed across North America, with particularly frequent collections in British Columbia and Alberta. Adults are active from June to September and have a wingspan of approximately 20 mm. The species has been reared from jack pine (Pinus banksiana).
Zeiraphera unfortunana
Purple-striped Shootworm Moth, purplestriped shootworm
Zeiraphera unfortunana is a tortricid moth species native to boreal and subarctic regions of North America. The larvae are specialized feeders on coniferous trees, particularly spruce and fir species, where they develop in shoots and buds. The species was described by Powell in 1983 and is one of several Zeiraphera species known as 'budworms' or 'shootworms' due to their larval feeding habits.
Zelleria haimbachi
pine needle sheathminer
Zelleria haimbachi, commonly known as the pine needle sheathminer, is a small moth in the family Yponomeutidae. The species is native to western North America, where it is associated with pine forests. Larvae are specialized miners that feed within the sheaths of pine needles, an unusual feeding strategy among conifer-feeding Lepidoptera. The species has been recorded as a localized pest, with documented outbreak events in British Columbia spanning several decades.
Zelleria retiniella
Brindled zelleria
Zelleria retiniella is a species of moth in the family Yponomeutidae, commonly known as the Brindled zelleria. It was described by Forbes in 1923. The species is part of a genus whose larvae are frequently associated with coniferous hosts. Observations suggest it is active during warmer months in temperate regions.