LepidopteraMoths, Skippers, Butterflies

Adults Coiled proboscis for sucking2 pairs of membranous wings covered with scalesAntennae: Moths – feather or saw-like; skippers – hooked; butterflies - knobbed

LarvaeCaterpillars have mandibles for chewing; prolegs with crotchets on 5 or fewer abdominal segments

Complete metamorphosis

Lepidoptera

Most diverse group of leaf feedersLarge larvae eat entire leafSmaller larvae eat holes or mine leafsBorers in wood or stemsFew species are predators

Eastern Tent CaterpillarLasiocampidae

Early-season defoliator – 1st

caterpillar of seasonHost Plants

Prefer wild cherry, crabapple, apple

Forest Tent CaterpillarLasiocampidae

Early-season defoliator – 2nd

caterpillar of seasonHost Plants

Deciduous trees – prefers oak, sugar maple, black gum, sweet gum, poplar, birch, elm, ash, willow, hawthorn, and fruit trees

Spring and Fall CankerwormGeometridae

Early-season defoliatorLarvae finished feeding by early June

Host PlantsMany deciduous trees – apple, elm, oak, hickory, linden, birch, beech, and maple

Winter Moth Operophtera brumata

By Robert Childs

Fall CankerwormWinter MothWinter Moth andFall CankerwormFemales

This photograph courtesy of Dr. David Wagner, UConn

Euonymus Leaf Notcher Pryeria sinica Early Signs of Pryeria Damage

And Eventually…Eggs and Small Larvae

Small and Mature LarvaeGypsy MothErebidae

Tussuck mothsIntroduced pest (1860’s)Early season defoliator1 generation / year

Gypsy Moth

Preferred host plants:Oak, sweetgum, linden, willow, birch, apple, boxelder, hawthorn

Resistant host plants:Tuliptree, sycamore, black locust, ash, American holly, mulberry, red cedar

Entomophaga maimaiga – imported twice, once in early 1900’s and again in 1980’s Moth Gypsy Defoliation

Fall WebwormErebidaeMid and late season defoliatorFall WW has 2 color forms –

black heads with yellow bodies and red heads with brown bodieslate instar larvae ~ 1” with paired black turbercles and long hair

Host PlantsMany deciduous trees – Prefers mulberry, walnut, hickory, elm, sweetgum, poplar, willow, oak, linden, ash, and fruit trees

Mimosa WebwormPlutellidae

Mid and late season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ ½” long; pale green to brown w/ 5 longitudinal white stripes

Host PlantsMimosa, honeylocust (thornless)

Juniper WebwormGelechiidae

Late and early season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ ¾” long; tan with brown stripesHost Plants

Many species of junipers, prefers columnar junipersResistant varieties – Juniperus chinensis“pfitzeriana”, Savin juniper

Juniper WebwormGelechiidaeBiology

One generation per yearOverwinter as larvae within webbed branchesCaterpillars tightly web together branches; feed within webbed branchesIn spring adults mate and lay eggs

Pine WebwormPyralidae

Mid to late season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ ¾” long; tan with 4 black stripes

Host PlantsMany species of pines; prefer Pitch, mugo, scotch and Virginia

Pine WebwormPyralidaeBiology

One generation per yearOverwinter as pupae in soil under treesYoung caterpillars mine needles; older larvae consume needles while building protective nests composed of frass and silk surrounding terminalsIn spring adults mate and lay eggs

Pine WebwormPyralidae

DamageNeedles turn yellow due to young larvae mining needles; mature larvae consume entire needles;Larvae build webbed nests around terminal which are unsightly (webbing, frass, brown needles)

Yellownecked CaterpillarNotodontidae

Late season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ 2” long; black with yellow neck and several yellow stripes

Host PlantsPrefers shade and fruit trees

Orangestriped OakwormSaturniidae

Mid season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ 1 ½” long; black with 8 orange-yellow stripes; 2 black spines behind head; spines on side of abdomen

Host PlantsPrefers oak, also feed on hickory and birch

Orangestriped OakwormSaturniidaeBiology

Two generations per yearOverwinter as pupae in soilCaterpillars active June through September

Orangestriped Oakworm

DamageGregarious and usually feed on one branch at a timeYoung caterpillars skeletonizeOlder larvae defoliate branches

Redhumped CaterpillarNotodontidaeBiology

One generation per yearOverwinter as pupae in leaf litterCaterpillars feed in clusters June through September

Azalea CaterpillarNotodontidae

Late season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ 2 ½” long, black with rows of white spots, reddish head, neck area, and legs

Host PlantsPrefers azalea

Greenstriped MaplewormSaturniidae

Mid season defoliatorLarvae

Mature larvae ~ 1 ½” long, green with reddish head, 2 black horns, and several stripes

Host PlantsPrefers maples, especially red, sugar, and silver maples

Severe pest of boxwoods in Europe

Detected in Toronto in 2018

HymenopteraSuborder Apocrita:

Wasps, Hornets, Ants, Bees

Chewing mouthparts (adults and larvae)2 pairs membranous wings, front larger then back, hooks on front margin of hind wingsAbdomen constricted at thorax (adults)Females have ovipositor or stinger (adults)Complete metamorphosisLarvae are leglessParasitic and phytophagous

HymenopteraSuborder Symphyta: sawflies

Chewing mouthparts (adults and larvae)2 pairs membranous wings, front larger then back, hooks on front margin of hind wingsAbdomen broadly joined to thorax (adults)Females have retracted saw-like ovipositor (adults)Complete metamorphosisLarvae resemble caterpillars, but 6 or more prolegs without crotchets, 1 pr simple eyesMost are phytophagous

Redheaded Pine SawflyDiprionidae

Native sawflyLate instar larvae about 1”; reddish head; a yellowish-white body with 6 rows of irregular spotsHost Plants

Prefers mugo, jack, red, shortleaf, loblolly, slash, longleaf, pitch, Japanese black

Redheaded Pine SawflyDiprionidaeBiology

2 generationsPre-pupae overwinter in cocoons in soilActive May-June, Aug.-Oct.Eggs deposited into needles (brown spots)Eggs hatch, larvae are gregarious and feed on needles of terminal twigs and branches

White Pine SawflyDiprionidae

Native sawflyLate instar larvae about 1”; black head; pale yellow to white body with 4 rows of spotsHost Plants

Prefers eastern white pine

Dusky Birch SawflyTenthredinidae

Late instar larvae about 1”; black heads; yellowish green body with a row of large black spots down each sideHost Plants

Prefers gray birch but attacks other birches

Blackheaded Ash SawflyTenthredinidae

Late instar larvae about ¾”; black head and legs; white, hairless body Host Plants

Prefers white and red ash but will attack other ashes

Curled Rose Sawfly

Rose slug sawfly ColeopteraCurculionidae - Weevils

Adults – snout varies in size; elbowed antennae arise mid length; mandibles at tipLarvae – “C” shaped, leglessMost are phytophagous, adults may feed on foliage, bark of twigs; larvae feed on roots and crowns, bore into stems

Black Vine WeevilCurculionidae

Introduced weevilAdults – 3/8”; black with yellowish flecksLarvae – ½”; “C” shaped, leglessHost Plants

Wide host range of woody shrubs and herbaceous plants; prefers yews, rhododendron, astilbe, heuchera, bergenia

Two Banded Japanese WeevilCurculionidae

Introduced weevilAdults – 3/16”; shortnosed, brown to gray with 2 dark bands, females only, flightless, diurnalLarvae – ¼”; “C” shaped, leglessHost Plants

Prefers privet, azalea, rhododendron, mountain laurel, forsythia, spirea, lilac, pyracantha, euonymus

Strawberry Root WeevilCurculionidae

Introduced weevilAdults – ¼”; shortnosed, shiny black, constricted prothorax / wing, nocturnal, flightlessLarvae – ¼”; “C” shaped, leglessHost Plants

Prefers arborvitae, hemlock; some pines, spruce, and juniper attacked

Elm flea weevil

European elm flea weevil (Orchestes alni) common throughout Europe and first found in the U.S. in 1982.

Found in the Midwest in 2003, and in Minnesota until 2007.

Feeds on Siberian elm, Chinese elm and hybrids with Asian parentage. Rarely feeds on American elm.

Feeding damage only affects the appearance of the tree.

Jeffrey Hahn, Extension entomologist

Jeffrey Hahn, Extension entomologist

Japanese BeetleScarabaeidae

• Introduced scarab beetle• Adults – ½”, broadly oval, thick bodied,

brown wings, and metallic green body• Larvae – mature 1”, white with tan heads,

“C” shaped• Host Plants

– Adults have very wide host range (> 300 plant species); Prefers Linden trees, roses, grapes

• Labeled for use against Japanese beetle adults and grubs, leaf-feeding caterpillars, gypsy moth caterpillars, bagworms, tussock moth caterpillars, clearwing borers such a peachtree borer and rhododendron borer, birch leafminer, and lace bugs

• Sold under the name Acelepryn®

• So safe it carries no signal word.

Rose ChaferScarabaeidae

• Native scarab beetle• Adults – 3/8”, tan body with long

brown and black spiny legs• Larvae – mature 1”, white with tan

heads, “C” shaped• Host Plants

– Adults prefer rose and peony flowers but also attack apple, cherry, elm, wisteria, and some perennial

ColeopteraChrysomelidae – leaf beetles

• 1/10th of all known beetles, many subfamilies

• Adults - usually < 12 mm, colorful patterns, oval shape, filiform antennae

• Most overwinter as adults• Adults feed on flowers and foliage• Larvae – free feeders on foliage, leaf

miners, stem borers, root feeders

Elm Leaf BeetleChrysomelidae

• Biology–2 generations–Overwinter as adults in protected

locations–Eggs deposited on leaves (May 1st

gen., July 2nd gen.)–Larvae feed, migrate to ground

and pupate

Elm Leaf BeetleChrysomelidae

• Damage–May (1st gen.), July (2nd gen.)–Adults feed between major

veins (shotholes)–Larvae feed between fine veins

(etching), leaves appear translucent

Photo credits - Paul Weston, Cornell University

Viburnum leaf beetle

Photo credits -Paul Weston, Cornell University

o Life cycle • Eggs overwinter on twigs,

hatch in May• Larvae feed on leaves May-

June, • Larvae drop to ground to• pupate, • Adults emerge in July, feed,

and lay eggs in July –October

Photo credits - Paul Weston, Cornell University Photographs: E. Richard Hoebeke, Cornell University

Infested shrubs may loose their ornamental value

Geographic range: Native – Europe and Asia, Introductions – Eastern North America

History in North America1947, first record in Canada;1978, breeding populations in Ottawa1996, New Yorknow found in ME, NY, OH, PA, VT

Highly susceptible:V. dentatum complex, arrowwood viburnumsV. nudum, possum-haw, smooth witherod viburnumV. opulus, European cranberrybush viburnumV. opulus var. americana (formerly V. trilobum), American cranberrybush viburnumV. propinquum*, Chinese viburnum, Taiwanese viburnumV. rafinesquianum, Rafinesque viburnum

Susceptible:V. acerifolium, mapleleaf viburnumV. lantana, wayfaringtree viburnumV. rufidulum, rusty blackhaw, southern black-hawV. sargentii, Sargent viburnumV. wrightii, Wright viburnum

wViburnum most resistant to the viburnum leaf beetle:V. bodnantense, dawn viburnumV. carlesii, Koreanspice viburnumV. davidii*, David viburnumV. x juddii, Judd viburnumV. plicatum, doublefile viburnumV. plicatum var. tomentosum, doublefile viburnumV. rhytidophyllum, leatherleaf viburnumV. setigerum, tea viburnumV. sieboldii, Siebold viburnum

o Management –Resistant varieties

Autumn, Winter, Spring –prune out twigs with eggs

Summer insecticides for larvae acephate, carbaryl, imidacloprid, B. t. galleriae ?

Imported Willow Leaf BeetleChrysomelidae

• Introduced leaf beetle• Adults – 3/16”, oval, convex,

metallic blue/green• Larvae – ¼”, almost black with

rows of tubercles• Host Plants

– Prefers Willow and Cottonwood

Oak SkeletonizerLyonetiidae

• Micro Lepidoptera• Mid season defoliator• Larvae

–Mature larvae ~ ¼” long, pale yellow with tan heads

• Host Plants - Oak– Oaks in general but prefers willow

and pin oak

Oak SkeletonizerLyonetiidae

• Management–Very seldom warrants control measures

Rose SlugTenthredinidae

• Introduced sawfly• Late instar larvae about ½”; yellow heads; yellowish green body

• Host Plants - rose–Attacks wild and domestic roses–3 species of “slug sawfly” that

attack roses

Oak SlugSawfly