The life history of pine false webworm, Acanthalyda erythrocephala (L.), in
three pine (Pinaceae) plantations in northern New York is similar to that
reported for this species on red pine, Pinus resinosa Aiton, in Ontario. Ad
ult emergence extended from early May to early June. The sex ratio of emerg
ing adults favored males by as much as 2.7:1. Oviposition occurred from mid
-May to early June. Significantly more eggs per fascicle were deposited on
the distal third of branches and in the lower third of the crown. Larval fe
eding took place throughout June. The proportion of prepupae remaining in t
he soil for more than 1 year varied from 9% to 66% between two sites. There
was no evidence of egg parasitism, and egg survival exceeded 95% in each o
f 2 years. A new species of nematode (Steinernema sp.) (Nematoda: Steinerne
matidae) was recovered from pronymphs. Homaspis interruptus (Provancher) (H
ymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitized larvae and emerged from 8.5% and 2.8
% of the pronymphs in two populations.