Zimmerman pine moth (Dioryctria zimmermani)

From Bugwoodwiki

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 1979. A guide to common insects and diseases of forest trees in the northeastern United States. Northeast. Area State and Private Forestry, Forest Insect and Disease Management., Broomall, PA. p. 123, illus.(USDA Forest Service, Northeast Area State and Private Forestry Publication. NA-FR-4)

The Zimmerman pine moth prefers the shoots and branches of Scots and Japanese red pines, but also attacks red, jack, white, Austrian, and mugho pines. Trees of all sizes are subject to attack. The damage caused by this insect results in broken, dead tops and branches and burl-like growths on the trunk above the girdled area. The damage often resembles breakage caused by heavy snow, but pitch masses, coarse sawdust, and loose silken webs distinguish damage by this insect.

Adults emerge between the end of June and mid-September. They hide during the day and become active at night. The female deposits eggs near edges of wounds, in bark crevices, or on terminal buds. Eggs hatch in 8 to 10 days and young larvae enter bark recesses to spin silken hibernaculae for overwintering. Larvae emerge from May to June; they feed on the bark at first, then mine the new terminal or lateral branches. Larvae leave the new growth sometimes in July and tunnel beneath the bark in thewhorl area, causing girdled branches and leaders. Mature larvae in the northern part of the range have greenish pink bodies covered with small black spots. They are about ¾ inch long. A heavily infested tree may have 20 or more larvae feeding in a single whorl. Pupation occurs in July within the resin masses or tunnels just under the bark. Adults appear 15 to 23 days after pupation. The life cycle generally takes 1 year from the egg to adult stage, but there are overlapping generations, so most stages can be found at any time of year.