Species Cydia piperana - Ponderosa Pine Seedworm Moth - Hodges#3489

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Tortricoidea (Tortricid Moths)

Family Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)

Subfamily Olethreutinae

Tribe Grapholitini

Genus Cydia

Species piperana (Ponderosa Pine Seedworm Moth - Hodges#3489)

Hodges Number

3489

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cydia piperana Kearfott, 1907 (1)

Phylogenetic sequence #621375

Explanation of Names

Specific epithet in honor of Charles Vancouver Piper (1867-1926), botanist and agriculturist, who collected the first specimens. (1) The orchid genus Piperia is also named for him.

Size

Forewing length 8.0-10.5 mm, males larger than females. (2)

Mature larvae 10-15 mm.

Identification

Adult - dark brownish gray, finely speckled by whitish scale tips, and with three raised, transverse bars of metallic lead- or bronze-colored scaling. Hindwing is entirely smokey brown (2)

Range

Western United States (3)

Season

Adults fly from February to June, varying with elevation and latitude. (2)

Food

As the common name suggests, Pinus ponderosa seeds provide food for the larvae.

Life Cycle

Eggs are deposited on the surface of green cones, and the larvae burrow in the main axis of the cone and into the seeds. Pupation occurs in fall and winter. Cones collected as Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations sometimes produce moths in homes! (2)

Remarks

Can inflict serious damage on seed crops of Ponderosa pines, however, no damage is visible externally.

Print References

Kearfott, W.D. 1907. New North American Tortricidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 33(1): 55. (1)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group

Cone and Seed Insects

William D. Kearfott

Works Cited

1.	New North American Tortricidae. William Dunham Kearfott. 1907. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 33(1): 1-97.

2.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

3.	North American Moth Photographers Group

Contributed by Graham Montgomery on 27 July, 2010 - 5:27pm
Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Last updated 24 December, 2017 - 8:44am

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