Hemileuca lucina

Hemileuca lucina, commonly referred to as the New Jersey tea buckmoth (or related species), belongs to the family Saturniidae. This moth species is a significant defoliator in its native range, where its larvae feed primarily on specific host plants during the spring and early summer seasons.

The primary hosts for this insect are plants of the genus Spiraea, such as Spiraea alba and Spiraea latifolia. The larvae are specialists, meaning they rely heavily on these shrubs to complete their development, making ornamental plantings of spirea particularly vulnerable to infestation.

The life cycle follows a univoltine pattern, meaning there is only one generation per year. The insect overwinters in the egg stage, with eggs laid in clusters encircling the twigs of host plants. As temperatures rise in spring, the larvae hatch and exhibit gregarious behavior, clustering together to feed on the emerging foliage.

The primary damage is caused by the voracious feeding of the larvae, which can result in severe defoliation. Early instars perform leaf skeletonization, while larger larvae consume entire leaf blades. Chronic defoliation weakens the host shrubs, potentially leading to branch dieback or total plant death if left untreated over several seasons.

Effective management strategies include:

• Winter pruning and removal of twig sections containing egg masses.
• Physical removal of young, clustered larvae in the spring before they disperse.
• Application of microbial insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
• Monitoring for early signs of skeletonization to ensure timely intervention.