Sequoia pitch moth, Synanthedon sequoiae,

Fig. 121 Pitch mass indicating entrance and feeding site.	Fig. 122 Larva within the pitch mass.

Tree Species Attacked: The principal host is lodgepole pine, though occasionally other hard pines are attacked, and rarely, Douglas-fir. All sizes of trees over 2 m in height are susceptible.

Insect Description & Damage Symptoms: The adults are clear-wing moths with black and yellow bands that make them resemble a yellow-jacket wasp. In June and July, they lay their eggs singly in bark crevices or wounds at any height on a tree's bole or branches. The larvae emerge within two weeks and bore into the inner bark and the outer sapwood, where they feed for two years. The larval mining causes copious flows of soft, white pitch, which has some reddish boring dust mixed in. Old pitch masses turn hard and yellowish. Mature larvae are about 2.5 cm in length, and have reddish-brown heads and an off-white body. Brown pupal skins may be observed sticking out of the pitch masses. Open-grown trees and trees suffering recent wounding (for example, from pruning) are most susceptible to attack.

Damage: Permanent damage rarely occurs. Occasionally, repeated attacks can girdle and kill young, small-diameter trees or predispose them to breakage. Pitch accumulations are unsightly on trees in recreational areas.

Similar Damage:  Pitch masses on mature trees may be mistaken for beetle-caused pitch tubes. Those of the pitch moth are much larger, and removal of the pitch will reveal the pitch moth. On trees at the very shortest susceptible size range, the northern pitch twig moth may be confused with a first-year sequoia pitch moth. However, the northern pitch twig moth only produces a relatively smooth, small, pitch bubble, unlike the copious flow from the sequoia pitch moth.

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Contact Tim Ebata if you have comments on the presentation of this information.

BC Ministry of Forests
Forest Practices Branch
P.O. Box 9513 Stn. Prov. Gov.
Victoria, BC
V8W 9C2

Section phone: (250) 387-8739
Section fax: (250) 387-2136

Last updated February 18, 2002