Species Neodiprion lecontei - Red-headed Pine Sawfly

Neodiprion lecontei (Fitch 1858)

BL 5–8.5 mm[Cite:185010]

e. NA east of the Great Plains[Cite:185010] (map)

Jack, red, shortleaf, loblolly, slash, longleaf, pitch, and Swiss Mountain pines are preferred. They may defoliate white pine, larch, deodar cedar, and Norway spruce if they are growing near their preferred species(1)

It prefers young trees; ones that are 1-15' tall.(1)

In the South, it prefers trees growing in shaded areas.(1)

Overwinter in the prepupal stage.(1)

Eggs are deposited in the tissues of current or previous year's needles. A single female can lay up to 100 eggs. The larvae feed gregariously on new and old needles completely defoliating a branch before moving to another. Defoliation progresses from the top downward before the larvae reach maturity. Full-grown larvae drop to the ground, enter the soil, and spin tough, reddish-brown cocoons where they spend the winter.(1)

In the south there can be 5 generation per year, in the north only one.(1)

This sawfly is one of the most widespread and destruction of the pine sawflies.(1)

Closterocerus cinctipennis is a parasite of eggs.(1)

Spathimeigenia aurifrons parasitizes larvae.(1)

Dahlbominus fuscipennis, a European parasite, as been found in infested stands in TN, ALA, NY, MICH.(1)

Fact sheet (DeBerry 2011 )[Cite:185010]