Siberian silk moth |
Insects: Foliage Feeding Insects |
|
Hexapoda (including Insecta) > Lepidoptera > Lasiocampidae > Dendrolimus superans sibiricus Tschetverikov
|
| Siberian silk moth is a major pest of conifers and is native to Northern
Asia. It is not yet known to be in North America. Eggs and larvae
may be especially problematic as hitchhikers in packing material,
although any life stage can be found in plant material. Development
usually lasts 2 years but it may vary from 1 to 3 years depending on
temperature. Adults fly from the end of May to the middle of July.
Immediately after mating, females lay eggs on the needles, mainly in
the lower crown, but also on the ground. Newly laid eggs are light-green,
but soon become creamy white and then darker and spotted.
Eggs have a 13-15 day development period. The black to dark-brown
caterpillar has numerous spots and long hairs. The 2nd and 3rd
segments crossed by blue-black stripes. Larvae feed until late autumn
and spend the first winter in forest litter. In spring, after snow melt,
caterpillars climb up to the crown and feed for the entire summer
before returning to the forest litter for their second winter. In spring
they begin to feed intensively and pupate in May-June in cocoons
made from crude web. Cocoons can be found in crowns, on branches,
or stems. The pupa is brown and 1 1/4 inches long. Adult wingspan
ranges from 1 1/2 to 3 inches with a body length of 1 1/4 inches. The
color of moths varies from light yellowish-brown or light grey to
dark brown to almost black. Front wings are distinctively marked
with two characteristic crossing dark stripes and a white spot in the
center. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 5174044 |
Adult(s) |
July 2006, on larch stem |
Vladimir Petko |
| 5174046 |
Adult(s) |
Maternal material from Republic of Tuva, Russia. |
Natalia Kirichenko |
| 5174047 |
Adult(s) |
Maternal material from Republic of Tuva, Russia. |
Natalia Kirichenko |
| 1335020 |
Cocoon(s) |
Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335021 |
Damage |
Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335022 |
Damage |
Defoliation. Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1241015 |
Egg(s) |
in Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 5174049 |
Egg(s) |
Maternal material from Republic of Tuva, Russia. |
Natalia Kirichenko |
| 5174048 |
Infestation |
August 2006, larch forest (Larix sibirica) |
Vladimir Petko |
| 1241016 |
Larva(e) |
in Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335017 |
Larva(e) |
Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335018 |
Larva(e) |
Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335019 |
Larva(e) |
Mongolia |
John H. Ghent |
| 1335023 |
Larva(e) |
Larvae hibernating in the soil |
John H. Ghent |
| 2130070 |
Larva(e) |
|
David R. Lance |
| 2130071 |
Larva(e) |
|
David R. Lance |
|
