HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Discussion, insects and people from the 2018 BugGuide Gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in Wisconsin, July 10-12

Photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in Virginia, June 4-7.

Photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in Arizona, July 25-28

Photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in Alabama

Photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in Iowa

Photos from the 2010 Workshop in Grinnell, Iowa

Photos from the 2009 gathering in Washington

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae) » Buck and Io Moths (Hemileucinae) » Hemileucini » Coloradia » Lusk's Pine Moth - Hodges#7726 (Coloradia luski)

Species Coloradia luski - Lusk's Pine Moth - Hodges#7726

Classification · Hodges Number · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Internet References

Lusk's Pine Moth IMG_0085 - Coloradia luski - male

Lusk's Pine Moth IMG_0068 - Coloradia luski - male

Coloradia sp. - Coloradia luski - female

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)

Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)

Subfamily Hemileucinae (Buck and Io Moths)

Tribe Hemileucini

Genus Coloradia

Species luski (Lusk's Pine Moth - Hodges#7726)

Hodges Number

7726

Size

wingspan 50-88 mm; male considerably smaller than female

Identification

Adult: forewing speckled gray with black zigzag PM and ST lines that sometimes touch; reniform spot represented by a black discal dot; AM line black, jagged, with elongate projection that touches the reniform spot (a diagnostic feature); hindwing variably pale gray to pink with large black discal spot and dark PM and ST lines

Range

southwestern United States (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico) south into Mexico

Habitat

pine forests

Season

adults fly from June to August

Food

larvae feed on leaves of pine (Pinus spp.)

adults do not feed

Life Cycle

one generation per year; overwinters as a pupa in loose cocoon in soil

See Also

in other Coloradia species, the forewing AM line does not touch the reniform spot

Internet References

pinned adult images of female and male, plus photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)

pinned adult image by Paul Opler, plus species account, including US distribution map (butterfliesandmoths.org)

pinned adult images of male and female (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Ariona)

description of diagnostic feature in comparison with C. pandora (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands, USGS)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 25 July, 2007 - 5:42pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2018 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version