Pine Needle Sheathminer Pine Sheath Miner

You will observe needles drooping or sticking out at sharp angles from pine shoots in mid to late summer. Mature needles appear tan or brown and slip easily from their sheaths when gently pulled. Orange larvae mine inside needles initially, then feed inside the needle sheath. Damaged needles are loosely held. Two and three-needle pines are primary hosts.

No chemical control is typically justified for this minor cosmetic pest. Remove heavily infested branches if appearance is objectionable. Prune dead or declining needles to improve tree structure. Natural parasitoids attack miner larvae. Small ornamental pines are more susceptible than larger established specimens. Most pines tolerate sheathminer populations without health decline.