- Pine Processionary
Taxobox
name = Pine Processionary
image_width = 240px
image_caption = Pine Processionary larvae marching in characteristic fashion
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Arthropod a
classis =Insect a
ordo =Lepidoptera
familia =Tortricidae
genus = Thaumatopoea
species = "T. pityocampa"
binomial = "Thaumatopoea pityocampa"
binomial_authority = Denis & Schiffermüller,1775 The Pine Processionary "(Thaumatopoea pityocampa)" [http://pin.processionnaire.com/] is amoth of the familyThaumetopoeidae . It is sometimes placed in the genus "Traumatocampa". It is an abundant species ofpine woods in central and southernEurope .It has cream coloured forewings with brown markings and white hindwings. The species flies from May to July. The
larva is a major forest pest, living communally in large "tents", usually in pine trees but occasionally incedar orlarch , marching out at night in single file (hence the common name) to feed on the needles. There are often several such tents in a single tree. When they are ready topupa te, the larvae march in their usual fashion to the ground, where they disperse to pupate singly on or just below the surface. The larvae should never be handled as the abundant hairs on their bodies cause extreme irritation to the skin.References
* Pine processionary INRA-FRANCE http://pin.processionnaire.com/
* [http://www.prodinra.inra.fr/prodinra/pinra/data/2008/07/PROD20086c1fb7e_20080709010355455.pdf " La processioonnaire du pin revue Stantari août 2008"]
*Chinery, Michael "Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe" 1986 (Reprinted 1991)http://web.cortland.edu/fitzgerald/PineProcessionary.html*Pet-Amigos.com "Processional Pine Caterpillars are Dangerous to you and your pet" http://www.pet-amigos.com/Pet_health.htm#Processional%20Pine%20Caterpillars
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.