Which pine species is NOT a listed preferred host for Nantucket pine tip moth?

Which pine species is NOT a listed preferred host for Nantucket pine tip moth?

• A. Ponderosa pine
• B. Loblolly pine
• C. Shortleaf pine
• D. Longleaf pine

Answer: (A)

Nantucket pine tip moth specializes on the new shoot tips of certain pine species, and its most commonly affected hosts are eastern and southern pines such as loblolly, shortleaf, and longleaf. These species regularly produce the flush of tip growth that the larvae exploit, making them the ones typically listed as preferred hosts. Ponderosa pine, while widespread in other regions, is not usually included in standard host lists for this pest because it is a western species and is not commonly documented as a preferred host. Therefore, the pine species not listed as a preferred host is Ponderosa pine.

Nantucket pine tip moth specializes on the new shoot tips of certain pine species, and its most commonly affected hosts are eastern and southern pines such as loblolly, shortleaf, and longleaf. These species regularly produce the flush of tip growth that the larvae exploit, making them the ones typically listed as preferred hosts. Ponderosa pine, while widespread in other regions, is not usually included in standard host lists for this pest because it is a western species and is not commonly documented as a preferred host. Therefore, the pine species not listed as a preferred host is Ponderosa pine.