True-fir-feeder
Guides
Choristoneura retiniana
Modoc budworm
Choristoneura retiniana is a conifer-feeding tortricid moth known as the Modoc budworm. It occurs in California, Nevada, and Oregon, where it feeds primarily on true firs (Abies spp.), particularly white fir. The species is sympatric with the western spruce budworm (C. occidentalis) in mixed conifer stands, and the two species hybridize in nature. Larvae are characteristically green, distinguishing them from the brown larvae of C. occidentalis. The species exhibits density-dependent parasitoid complexes that may serve as indicators of population trends.