Author: Obraztsov, 1960
Species Overview:
Adult: 16-22 mm wingspan; forewing ground colour greyish brown; markings leaden-grey, edged with black; fasciae broken by several black lines. Hindwing brown; cilia cream.
Egg: deposited on young cones of the food plant.
Larva: head and prothoracic plate blackish brown; abdomen brownish grey or greenish-brown.
Pupa: relatively big (9-11 x 3-4 mm); dark reddish brown; frons between antennae broad, rounded; apex of forewing pointed; spines on abdominal segment 2 of same size as those on abdominal segment 3; spines near anterior margin clearly bigger than those near posterior margin on abdominal segment 3-7; dorsal spines on anal segment only slightly bigger than those on 9th abdominal segment; lateral spines of same size as dorsal spines; anal segment with 4 pairs of setae dorsally and 3 pairs ventrally; without clear ventral rim. In a cocoon inside a cone of the host plant [details pupa B. herrichiana ]
Taxonomic Description:
Male:
Barbara herrichiana adult 1
Barbara herrichiana adult 2
External characters: 16-22 mm wingspan. Head dark-brown. Forewing with apex rounded and termen slightly convex, without costal fold; ground colour greyish brown; markings leaden-grey, edged with black; fasciae broken by several black lines. Hindwing brown; cilia cream (Kennel, 1908-1921).
male genitalia B. herrichiana
Genitalia: Uncus rudimentary; gnathos absent. Socii long and suspended. Valva without clasper, with narrow neck and an inner lobe extending from the sacculus towards the cucullus; area beyond basal cavity sparsely haired.
Female:
External characters: similar to male.
female genitalia B. herrichiana
Genitalia: Sterigma a concave plate with a rather distinct anterior portion, ostium located in a central position. Cingulum situated medially in ductus bursae; corpus bursae with two rather small thorn-like signa.
Biology:
Moths fly in April and May. Eggs are deposited on young cones. After hatching, the larva bores into the cone. The exit hole is covered with spinning. Scales are often glued to the cone with a mixture of resin and reddish brown frass. The larva feeds on the seeds. Pupation occurs inside the cone, in a spun cocoon, often covered with resin. Pupae overwinter (Schröder, 1978).
Host plants:
Abies alba, Abies cephalonica, Abies numidica. Rarely also on Picea.
Damage:
Barbara herrichiana has been a significant pest of Abies in many years.
Larvae live inside the cones of the host plant, feeding on the seeds. Attacks by larvae can be detected by the malformation of the cone and the excretion of resin.
Distribution:
Central Europe, Spain, Greece and the Ukraine.
Pheromone:
Pheromone unknown.
Parasitoids:
Macrocentrus collaris (Braconidae)