| Spruce Seed Moth (Cydia strobilella (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Cydia strobilella (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Spruce Seed Moth French name: Tordeuse des graines de l'épinette Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Microlepidoptera Family: Tortricidae Subfamily: Olethreutinae Wingspan: 10-15 mm. Biotope: Coniferous forests, mixed forests and any place where coniferous trees grow and in particular European Spruces. Geographic area: Europe, Asia east to China and Japan, northern part of the United States of America and Canada. Flight time: April to May then August to September. Number of generations : 2 (only 1 in the northern part of the range) Caterpillar: Pale yellow or white with a brown head. Host plant: The caterpillar grow inside cones of European Spruces (Picea abies), feeding on seeds. |
The Spruce Seed Moth is a small dark greyish microlepidoptera with some brown scaling starting at the post median area and with pale metallic cross stripes. The pale cross stripes end with a whitish mark on the costal edge. There is a well marked black line on the marginal edge of the fore wings. The fringe is grey. The hind wings are a paler greyish colour. There are other similar species of the same genus which feed on coniferous trees. Cydia illutana, Cydia coniferana and Cydia conicolana often show one half of a white median stripe on the inner part of the fore wing. This makes a white marking which contrasts with the remaining part of the wing which is normally rather dark. There is not any so well marked black line on the marginal edge of the fore wing like on Cydia strobilella |
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I have four tall coniferous trees in my garden. However I may have to look for European Spruces in the neighbours' gardens to explain this observation of one Spruce Seed Moth here. |
André Bon July 2012