Sometimes there is a hint of light brown on the wing membranes. The males have transparent wings with a few black markings. They may get some protection from bird predation because of their resemblance to stinging insects. Adults are 15-17mm long (about 5/8 inch), shaped very much like wasps. Sometimes the brown skin of the pupa is visible protruding from the exit hole, after the moth emerges. They pupate inside their cocoons, and the adult moths emerge starting about June 10th. They move close to the surface and spin their cocoons, which are usually hidden by droppings and/or particles of soil. As temperatures warm up, they resume boring, and usually complete their feeding in May.įully grown larvae are cream colored one inch (25mm) long caterpillars, with brown heads. Because the egg laying period is so long, overwintering larvae vary greatly in size. Usually they are close to or below ground level. Peach tree borers overwinter as partially grown larvae, in a gallery under the bark. Rarely, we see peach bark beetle boring in peach trees. Larvae of a third species, Oriental fruit moth, bore in the tips of twigs, so we will not cover them here. Lesser peach tree borer, Synanthedon pictipes (Grote & Robinson) is also here, but it creates less damage. The most destructive (and larger of the two) is the peach tree borer, Synanthedon exitosa (Say). We have two species of borers that attack trunks or branches of peach trees in New Hampshire.
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