Pandora pinemoth
Coloradia pandora Blake, 1863
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Upperside white. Hindwing is white with a diffuse dark median line, a black spot near the center, and varying amounts of pink at the wing base and along the inner margin.
Wing Span: 3 1/4 - 3 7/8 inches (8.2 - 9.8 cm).
Life History: Females deposit eggs in groups on pine needles or on the tree trunk; eggs hatch within 3-7 weeks. Young caterpillars are gregarious, with 3-5 caterpillars feeding together on the same pine needle. Older caterpillars feed alone. Two years are required to complete development. Second- or third-stage caterpillars overwinter the first year in tight clusters, resume feeding in the spring, pupate in June or July, and spend the second winter in underground pupation chambers lined with silk and plant litter. Some can remain in the pupal stage for up to 5 years before emerging as adults.
Flight: One flight from July-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Jeffrey pine (P. jeffreyi), lodgepole pine (P. contorta), sugar pine (P. lambertiana), pinyon pine (P. edulis), and Coulter pine (P. coulteri).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Coniferous forest.
Range: Oregon south through California; the Spring Mountains of western Nevada; northern Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and the Nebraska National Forest, Nebraska. Comments: Subspecies davisi feeds on pinyon pine, has a late flight, and may be a separate species.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars occasionally become pests in pine forests.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 116 verified sightings
Observation date: May 12, 2020
Submitted by: teaguejd
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: Mjpbks
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 02, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2019
Submitted by: AudgePodge
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2017
Submitted by: Dcamp
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 29, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: DLG75
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: Jamiejean716
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 15, 2022
Observation date: May 18, 2021
Submitted by: babibubebo
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: davidwdroppers
Region: Walla Walla County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Feb 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2019
Submitted by: davidwdroppers
Region: Walla Walla County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Feb 09, 2022
Observation date: May 12, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: ishaan2009
Verified date: Dec 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: EvSherr
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: ekau
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: OnyxG
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: joannaroddy
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2020
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2020
Submitted by: ageorges
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: EvSherr
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: uberpixel
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2019
Submitted by: emmebird
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2019
Submitted by: Groom mom
Region: Josephine County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: jmenkel
Region: Lincoln County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2019
Submitted by: Elizabeth087
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 01, 2016
Submitted by: mcb993
Region: Douglas County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
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