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The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock). Eggs are laid on the new shoots and tip moth larvae feed for a short period of time on the new growth and then bore into the shoot tips, buds and conelets. Shoots infested by tip moth will have dying needles, beads of resin and often silky webbing in the tips. Larvae, pupae or empty tunnels may be present when the shoot is examined. Tip moths emerge in spring as early as February and may have four to five generations per year depending upon temperature. Many natural enemies of tip moths are known, but outbreaks in nursery stock usually require insecticide applications targeted to the egg and early larva stage. Pheromone traps are available to monitor for the adults to optimize timing of insecticides.
Common host plants: An important pest of pines. More than 20 species of pines including loblolly, shortleaf, sand and slash pine have been recorded as hosts of the moth.
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