UKMoths Pine Resin-gall Moth Retinia resinella - Distribution map
Please note that the NBN Gateway map service has been terminated as of 1 April 2017.
As soon as a replacement map service is available, distribution maps will hopefully appear here again.
In the meantime, you can get some idea of distribution from the NBN Atlas website.
49.301 BF1214
Pine Resin-gall Moth Retinia resinella
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan c.16-22 mm.
Retinia resinella is fairly common in much of England, but more so in Scotland where it can be abundant in places.
Larvae of this species have a two-year development period, beginning by boring into a small twig of the foodplant pine (Pinus), usually Scots pine, P. sylvestris. This causes the host plant to exude resin, which then forms a gall inside which the larva lives. In the second year the gall is enlarged and can be quite noticeable.
Pupating inside the gall, the adults then emerge in June. Because of the two-year cycle, moths are commonest in odd years.
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