Bug FAQWestern Pine Shoot Borer Moth
Eucopina sonomana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Source: Wikipedia
The western pine shoot borer moth has a wingspan of about 16 to 22 mm. Adults fly for two to three months in spring and there is one generation each year. Its larvae feed on pine species, mining the pith of terminal shoots and are considered a pest on ponderosa pine.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 16 to 22 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The species is considered a pest on ponderosa pine because its larvae damage the shoots.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in western North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on pine trees and mine the pith of their terminal shoots.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing for two to three months in spring and there is one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is western North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, California, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees does the western pine shoot borer moth damage?
Its larvae feed on pine species, especially ponderosa pine, and damage the shoots.
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adult moths active?
Adults are on the wing for two to three months in the spring.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucosma_sonomana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.