Eastern Pine Weevil – Deodar Weevil – Pissodes nemorensis
Eastern Pine Weevil/Deodar Weevil (Pissodes nemorensis)
Latin Name: Pissodes nemorensis
Common Name: Eastern Pine Weevil or Deodar Weevil
Appearance:
Deodar weevils attack the lower trunk of trees up to 36 feet tall, killing them. Adults eat the inner bark and wood of twigs and leading terminals, chewing holes in them. The presence of larvae may be indicated by a swelling of the bark above the feeding location. Weevil grubs feed beneath the bark and can girdle the stem in rare cases. Shoots that are infested may perish, resulting in excessive branching. In addition, deodar weevils can vector pitch canker (Fusarium moniliforme).
Host plants:
Deodar weevils infest nearly all pine species, as well as Douglas-fir and all spruces, in the eastern United States.
Damage caused by Weevil:
Deodar weevils attack the lower trunk of trees up to 36 feet tall, killing them. Adults eat the inner bark and wood of twigs and leading terminals, chewing holes in them. The presence of larvae may be indicated by a swelling of the bark above the feeding location. Weevil grubs feed beneath the bark and can girdle the stem in rare cases. Shoots that are infested may perish, resulting in excessive branching. In addition, deodar weevils can vector pitch canker (Fusarium moniliforme).
Description about Beneficial garden insects:
Most insects are not pests. Only those who eat attractive plants or spread illness are a nuisance to gardeners. Predators, pollinators, and parasitoids are the three sorts of useful insects. Lady beetles, praying mantids, green and brown lacewings, ground beetles, damsel bugs, syrphid fly larvae, and snakeflies are predatory insects. Predators such as spiders, predaceous spider mites, and centipedes are vital in garden ecology.
Several bee and fly species are pollinators of insects. Honeybees, bumblebees, orchard mason bees, and syrphid flies are the essential pollinators in home gardens, but many other pollinators also play a role. Small, stingless wasps or flies that deposit their eggs in or on certain host insects are parasitoids. Although these insects are difficult to observe, research has shown that they significantly influence pest bug populations.
Life history and Habits:
In the fall and winter, adult deodar weevils are active. Adult weevils infest weakened trees in the fall, feed, and mate. Females deposit eggs inside the inner bark while eating. Larvae hatch from the eggs and continue to feed in the inner bark, creating “chip cocoons,” or chambers. From late winter to early spring, deodar weevils pupate in these cocoons. Adult weevils emerge from pupation in the spring, between March and April. During the warmer summer months, deodar weevils are generally dormant. Every year, a new generation is born.