Flower and Conelet Damage

This category includes insects that feed primarily on the male and female flowers and developing conelets of pines. Insects that feed on flowers or conelets but which also commonly damage cones and seeds are discussed in other sections. These insects are, however, included in the key to flower and conelet damage.

Flower and conelet losses often are overlooked because the flowers and conelets are small and the insects feeding upon them may be minute or inconspicuous.

Insect occurrence on host pines
Flower and Conelet Damage
	HOST PINES
INSECT	Longleaf	Shortleaf	Loblolly	Slash	Virginia	Eastern White	Table Mountain
Nantucket pine tip moth	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Slash pine flower thrips	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Pine conelet looper	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	No
Virginia pine sawfly	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
May beetles	?	?	Yes	?	?	?	?
Pine catkin sawflies	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
Leaffooted pine seed bug	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Southern cone gall midge	?	?	?	Yes	?	?	?
Cone feeding midges	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?
South coastal coneworm	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Loblolly pine coneworm	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?
Southern pine coneworm	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Blister coneworm	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	?

Insect damage periods

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