INSECT ENEMIES OF WESTERN FORESTS 19 
FIR CONE MOTHS 
Cones of white fir, red fir, and other balsam firs, and of Douglas 
fir, are most seriously injured by the attack of small moths of the 
genus Barbara (formerly Hvetria). The yellowish-white caterpillars 
mine through scales and seeds, making a tortuous resinous tunnel and 
an opening at the surface through which resin and larval castings 
exude. The pupae overwinter near the axis of the cone in a papery, 
resin-coated cocoon among the resin-matted scales. The adults, which 
are gray moths about one- half inch in length and with speckled fore- 
wings, emerge the following spring and day their eggs on the young 
budding tender cones. The several species and varieties listed below 
cause this type of damage: 
Species Hosts and distribution 
Barbara colfaxiana Kearf________ Douglas fir. California, Oregon, Washing- 
ton, and British Columbia. 
Barbara colfaxiana var. tawxifoli- 
C2 REEA) BSL BSTC) SSS. ph lS ei Douglas fir. Montana. 
Barbara colfaxiana var. coloraden- . 
ARTS BI SH gaa a a a a Douglas fir and white fir. Colorado. 
Barbara colfaxiana var. siskiyou- 
CALONNG AN, feoieee ae Aes aos de White fir and red fir. California and 
Oregon. 
Barbara ulteriorana Hein ___—____ Douglas fir. Oregon. 
Similar damage to fir cones is frequently caused by the caterpillars 
of the cone pyralid, and the fir cone geometrid. 
The cone pyralid, Dzo- 
ryctria abietelia D, and 8S. 
(fig. 7), in the full grown Zoe 
larval stage is a large, ac- 2 LE WA ANN 
tive, irridescent, greenish- 2722 SIE S 
red caterpillarthree-fourths Ws Su i a y 
: F aie GZ Sl Ag KMS 
of an inch in length, which SSN N/a aN 
bores through scales and f, Ui LOS iy 
seeds of Douglas fir, bal- la ZN q 
sam fir, pine, and spruce ne ZN 
cones, leaving a round clean- Ses 
cut hole. In contrast to 
the work of Barbara its ie 
webbed castings on the sur- ye 
face of an infested cone are Ce 
free from pitch. The adults 
are gray moths mottled 
with black and have a wing 
expanse of about 1 inch. 
The fir cone geometrid 
Eucymatoge spermaphaga eee 
Dyar in the adult stage is a  "™00ER,7-—A fx cone moth (Dioryotri abstetie), 
gray moth with black and fir cones. (Drawings by Edmonston.) 
red-brown markings and a 
wing expanse of about 1 inch. The caterpillars, which are somewhat 
similar to the above, are of the measuring worm type. They bore 
through seeds and cone scales of Douglas fir, the balsam firs, mountain 
hemlock and probably other conifers. 
WS 
Lore 
Sy 
EOS 
a0 SES 
I 
a, eee 
Taal 
- ae sf : "4 le SF dl 
i 9 
SPL 
le 0 ee: of 
OS fee rg gy oy 
