Pinaceae
Guides
Dioryctria clarioralis
Blister Coneworm Moth
Dioryctria clarioralis, commonly known as the blister coneworm moth, is a species of pyralid moth found in the eastern United States. The larvae feed on various Pinus species, particularly attacking flower clusters and shoots. The species is part of a genus whose members are generally known as coneworm moths due to larval feeding habits in conifer cones and shoots.
Essigella
American Pine Needle Aphids
Essigella is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, commonly known as American pine needle aphids. Species in this genus are specialized feeders on Pinaceae, particularly Pinus species. Essigella californica, the type species and most well-known member, is native to western North America and has become an invasive pest in Australia and New Zealand, where it affects commercial pine plantations. The genus is characterized by its association with conifer hosts and its potential to cause defoliation and reduced tree growth.
Lithophane atara
Lithophane atara is a noctuid moth described by Smith in 1909. The species has a forewing length of approximately 18–20 mm. Adults are active in late summer, with flight records from August to September. Larvae are specialized feeders on Pinus species, specifically lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine. The species is restricted to western Canada.
Pissodes
Pine Weevils
Pissodes is a genus of weevils in the family Curculionidae containing at least 140 described species. These insects are specialized inhabitants of coniferous forests, with their distribution across the Northern Hemisphere closely tracking that of Pinaceae host trees. Several species, including Pissodes strobi, P. nemorensis, and P. terminalis, are recognized as significant forest pests due to the damage they inflict on economically important trees. The genus was first described by Ernst Friedrich Germar in 1817.