Pyralidae : Phycitinae
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Photo © Paul Kitchener,  Ipswich, 30 May 2017

Similar Suffolk Species
Dioryctria schuetzeella
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Dioryctria abietella

([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)1454 / 62.028

Morley’s Final Catalogue: Frequenting the flowers of scabious in good numbers at night close to fir trees at Brandon (Barrett).

Recent Status: The commonest of the Dioryctria species in the UK and Suffolk. Well establish and arriving as immigrants.

Life Style: A summer flying species that flies at night and comes to light. Dioryctria abietella is the Pine Coneworm Moth of forestry where larval damage to Pines and Firs can be serious. The larvae feed on all parts of the host trees but particularly on young shoots and cones and will also bore into young cones. The larvae hibernate and pupate in spring after completion of feeding. More Info

Identification: The genus Dioryctria Zeller, 1946 is distinctive. They have white forewings marked with black. There are discrete white pre and post median lines and a white discal spot. There is a sub-basal line and dorsally between the pre median and sub-basal line is a patch variably marked with orange brown. There are four species recognised in Britain that are also the common recognised species of Western Europe. Dioryctria schuetzeella is the smallest species, It has one or more pale spots placed sub-terminally on the hindwing and the forewing shows a stronger separation of the white and black patterning, with relatively broader white lines than other species. The orange patch is weak. Dioryctria sylvestrella is the largest species. It shows a strongly marked orange patch. The post median line is reportedly sinuate not dentate, but this is not always easy to judge. The discal spot is more quadrate and bold than in the other species. The species of the ‘abietella’ group (simplicella and abietella in Britain) have a complex phylogenetic relationship. In Britain Dioryctria simplicella is defined as strongly irrorate with black scales making the whole moth appear grey and without an orange patch or with just a few orange scales present.. Dioryctria abietella shows more distinct markings and has a stronger orange patch. Both have a dentate post median line. Each species of Dioryctria shows variation in the markings that can blur the differences outlined. Melanic individuals can occur that are usually placed with D. simplicella.

Recorded in 40 (69%) of 58 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1891.
Last Recorded in 2024.
Additional Stats

Dioryctria simplicella | Phycita roborella >

Determination
List Species Records   [Show All Latest]
Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
06/09/2024125TM25 - Wickham Market/Otley
01/09/2024326TL78 - Brandon/Lakenheath
28/08/2024226TL78 - Brandon/Lakenheath
28/08/2024125TM46 - Minsmere/Leiston
23/08/2024126TL78 - Brandon/Lakenheath
Show Details | 1990 to 2023 | 2000 to 2023 | Graph Key
Express Record Dioryctria abietella
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Copyright © Lepidoptera UK 2024
   
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Wingspan: 27-33mm
Flight: June - August
Foodplant:   Scots Pine, Monterey Pine, Norway Spruce, Noble Fir, Douglas Fir
Nat Status: Common
Verification Grade:  Adult: 2
 Immature Adult   [Show Flight Times]
     
Underlying maps using Digital Map Data © Norfolk Online Lepidoptera Archive - NOLA™ - Suffolk 2024. © James Wheeler - Norfolk Moths 2007 - 2024. Data © NOLA™ - Suffolk 2024
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