Conifer-pests
Guides
Adelgidae
adelgids, woolly conifer aphids, pine aphids, spruce aphids
Adelgidae is a small family of sap-sucking insects in the order Hemiptera, closely related to aphids. Members are commonly known as "woolly conifer aphids" due to their waxy secretions and exclusive association with conifer hosts in the family Pinaceae. The family includes some of the most destructive invasive forest pests in North America, notably the hemlock woolly adelgid (*Adelges tsugae*) and balsam woolly adelgid (*A. piceae*), which have caused widespread tree mortality. Adelgids exhibit complex, multigeneration life cycles that may include cyclical parthenogenesis, host alternation, and polymorphism.
Anisoscelini
leaf-footed bugs
Anisoscelini is a tribe of leaf-footed bugs (family Coreidae) characterized by distinctive flattened, leaf-like expansions on the hind tibiae. The tribe comprises approximately 29 genera distributed primarily in the Americas, with greatest diversity in Neotropical regions. Some genera, notably Leptoglossus, have become invasive in Europe and eastern Asia. Members show specialized feeding associations, with some genera exhibiting apparent trophic preferences for Passiflora (passionflowers) and others for conifer species.
Caripeta
brown pine looper, grey spruce looper, northern pine looper
Caripeta is a genus of geometrid moths erected by Francis Walker in 1863. The genus includes approximately 13 described species, several of which are known as loopers due to their characteristic larval locomotion. Some species are economically significant forest pests, particularly those associated with coniferous trees.
Chionodes
Chionodes is a large, globally distributed genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae. The genus comprises over 150 described species, many of which are grouped into species complexes based on morphological similarities and host associations. Larvae of numerous species are associated with coniferous trees, particularly Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), though host plant relationships vary considerably across the genus. The Nearctic obscurusella species-group includes species feeding on Acer, Quercus, and Salix.
Coleotechnites
needle miners
Coleotechnites is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae containing approximately 60 described species. The genus was established by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1880. Many species are needle miners, with larvae that feed inside conifer needles. The lodgepole needle miner (C. milleri) is the best-known species, recognized as a significant forest pest in North America.
Corthylini
Corthylini is a tribe of weevils within the family Curculionidae. Members are small beetles associated with coniferous trees, where they develop in bark and wood tissues. The tribe includes several economically significant species that damage timber and ornamental conifers. Adults are characterized by a compact body form and clubbed antennae typical of the family.
Eucosma
Eucosma is a large genus of small tortricid moths with at least 670 described species worldwide. The genus has a Holarctic and Indomalayan distribution, with approximately 150 species in the Nearctic region and 53 in Europe. New species continue to be discovered even in well-studied regions. Species exhibit considerable variation in coloration, ranging from plain to boldly patterned.
Gnathotrichus
ambrosia beetles
Gnathotrichus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the family Curculionidae containing at least 40 described species. Species in this genus cultivate fungal symbionts in wood galleries and are primarily associated with coniferous hosts. Several species have been studied for their pheromone-mediated aggregation behavior, with males producing species-specific attractants. The genus includes both native and invasive species, with Gnathotrichus materiarius established in Europe since the 1930s.
Lasiocampidae
Lappet Moths, Eggars, Tent Caterpillars, Snout Moths
Lasiocampidae is a family of moths comprising over 2,000 species worldwide, representing approximately 5% of global moth diversity. The family is characterized by large, hairy caterpillars with distinctive skin flaps on their prolegs, and adults that are typically large-bodied with broad wings. Many species are notable for their social larval behavior, including tent caterpillars that construct communal silk nests. The family is the sole member of the superfamily Lasiocampoidea and includes several economically significant forest pests.
Lepidopteramothstent-caterpillarsforest-pestsgregarious-larvaesilken-nestsdefoliatorsbipectinate-antennaelappet-mothseggarssnout-mothsMalacosomaDendrolimusEriogasterTolypePhyllodesmasocial-caterpillarsthermoregulationpheromone-trailscocoonfolivoryconifer-pestsdeciduous-forestintegrated-pest-managementMcMorran-dietPineus
Pineus is a genus of adelgids (family Adelgidae) comprising more than 20 described species. These insects are small, sap-feeding hemipterans specialized on conifer hosts, primarily Pinus (pines) and Picea (spruces). Species exhibit complex life cycles with multiple morphological forms, including winged and wingless generations, and some alternate between two host species. Several species are economically significant as pests of forestry and ornamental plantings.
Pogonocherus
flat-faced longhorn beetles
Pogonocherus is a genus of flat-faced longhorn beetles in the family Cerambycidae, established by Dejean in 1821. Species in this genus are wood-boring cerambycids associated with coniferous hosts, particularly pines. At least one species, P. perroudi, has been identified as a potential vector of pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), the causal agent of pine wilt disease. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere.