AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY AND DAMAGE APPRAISAL OF WHITE SPRUCE CONE INSECTS

Abstract

This paper discusses insects which inhabit the cones of white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, in Ontario and Saskatchewan. Insects which spend their entire developmental stages within the cone and cause appreciable damage are discussed at greater length. In Ontario, these are the spruce seedworm, Laspeyresia youngana (Kft.) and the spruce cone maggot, Pegohylemyia anthracina Czerny. In Saskatchewan, L. youngana is the main offender. Other insects which are of less economic importance from the standpoint of seed production are gall midges (cecidomyiids) and casual cone feeders.