Orange Larch Tubemaker (Coleotechnites laricis)

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Lepidoptera
Superfamily	Gelechioidea
Family	Gelechiidae
Subfamily	Gelechiinae
Tribe	Litini
Genus	Coleotechnites

Scientific Name

Coleotechnites laricis

Common Name

orange larch tubemaker

Maier, C.T.; Lemmon, C.R.; Fengler, J.M.; Schweitzer, D.F.; Reardon, R.C.; Caterpillars on the Foliage of Conifers in the Northeastern United States. Morgantown, WV. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. FHTET-2004-01. March 2004. 151 p.

Description

Grayish green body usually with orange blush dorsally, especially at hind margin of segments. Mostly dark brown head, prothoracic shield, and anal plate; prothoracic shield with light gray anterior margin; small dark spots on body. Up to 8 mm.

Food

Eastern larch.

Life Cycle

One generation. Partly grown caterpillar overwinters on twig. Mature caterpillar present in June and July.

Comments

After hatching, the young caterpillar mines leaves. In fall, it constructs a shelter of needles and frass along a twig. After spending the winter in its shelter, the caterpillar resumes feeding while it lives in a tube that is composed of needles tied together with silk. Finally, it changes to a pupa within the tube.