Host-dependent-dynamics
Guides
Choristoneura pinus
jack pine budworm, Jack Pine Budworm Moth
Choristoneura pinus, the jack pine budworm, is a tortricid moth native to North American jack pine forests. First described by Freeman in 1953, this species undergoes periodic population outbreaks that defoliate Pinus banksiana stands across Canada and the northern United States. Larval survival depends critically on the availability of pollen cones during spring dispersal. The species exhibits lagged density-dependent dynamics with its host tree, contributing to outbreak cycles of 6–12 year intervals.