F-505549 
FIGURE 94.—Cone damage by 
the white-pine cone beetle, 
Conophthorus coniperda. 
ey/ 
or ee a 
— 
siderable damage also results from attacks on first-year conelets, 
shoots, and occasionally buds and male flowers. 
The red-pine cone beetle, Conophthorus resinosae Hopk., occurs 
in southeastern Canada and the northern tier of states from 
Maine to Minnesota. It breeds by preference in second-year red 
pine cones, but also attacks current-year red pine shoots and 
occasionally second-year jack pine cones. The adult is shiny black, 
with sparse short fine hairs and is about 3 to 3.5 mm. long (462). 
Seasonal activity begins in May when the overwintering adults 
emerge and attack current-year’s shoots and second-year cones of 
red pine. The adults feed for a few weeks and then attack cones 
for oviposition purposes. Cones are entered by females near the 
petiole on the underside, the entrance tunnel often forming an 
open groove at the cone base. The tunnel is extended to the pith 
and is then continued in the pith to the end of the cone. Eggs are 
deposited singly in niches along the sides of the tunnel. After 
Oviposition is completed, the female returns to the base, fills the 
base of the tunnel with a plug of resin and debris, then vacates 
the cone. Infested cones soon wither, harden, turn brown, and 
occasionally drop from the tree. The larvae feed on seeds and 
scales in the cone and pupate in frass-lined cells, often near the 
base. New adults remain inside the dead cones at least until they 
become hard and black. During late summer, they emerge either 
through the plugs in the bases of the tunnels, or through the top 
or sides of the cones. Soon after emergence they bore into short, 
current-year’s red pine shoots and then tunnel forward through 
the pith into vegetative buds where they spend the winter. 
Weakened at points of beetle entry, these shoots soon break off 
207 
