Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 May 2012
Two orders of insects, Lepidoptera and Diptera, are responsible for most of the seed destruction in shortleaf pine in the Georgia Piedmont. The phycitids Dioryctria amatella (Hulst), D. zimmermani (Groté), and D. clarioralis (Walker) were found in approximately equal numbers. A gelechiid, Battaristis vitella (Bsk.), was commonly found in dried cones. Three genera of cecidomyiids, Hyperdiplosis, Lestodiplosis, and Mycodiplosis, were found to inhabit cones and cause considerable damage.
An inquiline nitidulid, Coleopterus truncatus (Rand), commonly occurs in Dioryctria-damaged cones.