Adelges laricis

This insect was originally found in central Europe, but is now widespread throughout Europe and is believed to have been introduced into North America. The larch adelgid has a late spring generation on larch that may be so abundant that trees may look as if they are dusted in snow. Overwinters as an immature at the base of buds. While spruce is the primary host for this insect, research suggests that the larch adelgid can complete its development and remain solely on larch hosts, without spruce present in the nearby area. On larch, the adelgids overwinter as nymphs near the buds. Once buds begin to swell in the spring, nymphs begin feeding on the opening buds. Once mature, the females will secrete a white, powdery wax over their bodies. By mid-late April, females lay several hundred eggs over a period of approximately two weeks. Females are parthenogenetic, and males are not needed for viable eggs to be laid. When eggs hatch, the nymphs settle on new leaves and produce a white, waxy material. A nymphal stage that will become the stem mother overwinters on spruce hosts. The offspring of the stem mothers will produce galls on the newly developing shoots of spruce hosts. Galls from the larch adelgid on spruce hosts may look similar to the eastern spruce gall adelgid, however the galls often have a pink color and may form over the entire tip of the spruce shoot. Spruce galls of the larch adelgid may mature by June or July. Adults and nymphs are black or dark in color. Some alate (winged) adults are present and can migrate to spruce where they lay eggs that hatch into sexual males or females. The larch adelgid is known from New England and Ontario south to Maryland.