There is one insect that makes its cocoon out of a chipped woodlike material, and that is the peach tree borer moth. Native to North America, these insects in their larval stages are common pests for fruit farmers in the southern United States and Canada. The cocoon of the peach tree borer moth has the appearance of being covered in small chips of wood.
Larval Stage
Peach tree borer moth larvae hatch approximately 10 days after they are laid. They are a light brown or cream color with a dark brown head. The insect usually lays its eggs near the trunk of the tree so the larvae can begin feeding immediately after hatching. During the winter, the larvae will burrow into the bark of tree trunks and live on the bark until springtime. The peach tree borer moth larva grows over the winter season to a size of about 1 1/2 inches.
Pupal Stage
In the spring, the larva of the peach tree borer moth will emerge from its burrow and begin to cocoon. Since its burrow is inside the tree and full of wood chips, the larva uses these remnants to supplement the construction of its cocoon. Using the silk threads it secretes, the peach tree borer larva creates a cocoon and attaches wood particles and chips. This use of wood makes the cocoon especially hard and safe from predators. Most of these wood cocoons are found on top of the soil, near the bases of tree trunks. The moth remains in its pupal state for two to four weeks.
Adult Stage
The appearance of adult peach tree borer moths varies by gender. Female moths are dark blue with an orange stripe on their abdomens. Male moths are gray with thinner yellow markings on their abdomens. Peach tree borer moths live for only approximately a week in their adult forms. They begin mating almost immediately after coming out of the cocoon. The adult female moth can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs are reddish-brown in color. Unlike most moths, the peach tree borer is mainly active during the day, when it mates and lay eggs.
Damage to Trees
Infestation of peach tree borer moths can cause irreparable damage and even death to trees. Young saplings are particularly susceptible. Because the larvae bury themselves into the trunk of the tree, they cause dangerous girdling, resulting in tree tissue death above the trunk. Trees infested by peach tree borers generally turn yellow and present a reddish-brown ooze mixed with soil around the base trunk of the tree. Prevention of peach tree borer infestation involves an insecticide treatment to the infested area, timed with the hatching of the larvae. Once the larvae have penetrated the bark of the tree, insecticides fail to work effectively.
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