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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

990270n – 19270   Dendrolimus punctatus (Walker, 1855)
Distribution Data for Dendrolimus punctatus
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Distribution: China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam; not found in North America north of Mexico.
Seasonality
and Size:
Four generations per year, the first occurring March-May, the second from June-July, the third from August- September, and the final from October- March. Forewing length 20mm in male and 40 mm in female.
Larva and
Host Plants:
Larvae have been recorded in Hong Kong on Pinus elliottii (Slash pine), Pinus massoniana (Masson's pine), and Pinus taeda (Loblolly pine)
Description/
Field Marks:
Adults range from being pale gray to brown. Males can have a distinct brown band on the forewing, although this is not always present. Males and females tend to be nearly uniform in color and pattern, with faint lines on the forewing, sometimes broken into a line of dark spots.
Similar Species:
  • There are no North American Dendrolimus spp. Adults may be confused with other Dendrolimus. D. punctatus can be distinguished from non-target Dendrolimus and Gloveria by the presence of two projections on the valve, as opposed to a single projection. The length of these projections can be used to distinguish D. punctatus from D. superans, D. sibiricus and D. pini

    Genitalia of D. punctatus are most likely to be confused with D. pini as the smaller (lower/sternal) projection, in both, is less than or equal to ¼ the length of the longer projection (upper/dorsal). Whereas this projection is at least half the length of the upper projection in both D. sibiricus and D. superans

    The everted phallus may be used to distinguish D. punctatus from D. pini. D. punctatus has a single lobe on the vesica with a patch of cornuti, this is magnified here. D. pini's vesica has two distinct lobes, both with a patch of cornuti.
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
References
  • (1) Natural History Museum: HOSTS- A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants website
  • (2) Passoa, S., 2007. Key to screen selected Lepidoptera larvae of quarantine significance to the southern United States. website
  • (3) Passoa, S., 2009. Screening key for CAPS target Lepidoptera in the Eastern and Midwestern United States (males). University of Maryland, 1-159.
  • (4) Molet, T., 2012. CPHST Pest Datasheet for Dendrolimus punctatus. USDA-APHIS- PPQ-CPHST., website.
Photographs are needed for this species.

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