Cinara strobi

White pine aphids are found in the genus Cinara, to which belongs many species of aphid that feed on conifers native to the US. Cinara spp. aphids are often larger than the average aphid, with long legs. They can be found feeding through the bark of smaller twigs or the main trunk of smaller trees. The white pine aphid has a winged life stage that is up to 0.16 inches long, with long legs. White pine aphids will move very quickly when disturbed. They are a shiny black color with a white stripe down the middle of the back and rows of white spots on the sides. They form dense clusters on smaller white pine twigs. In the fall, females (winged individuals) lay groups of 5-6 eggs in a row on the needles of their host plants. Males and egg laying females are only present in the fall generation. Eggs become shiny and black in color as they age, and overwinter. Egg hatch occurs as temperatures begin to warm in the spring, with several wingless generations occuring on eastern white pine during the growing season. They feed using piercing-sucking mouthparts to remove host plant fluids. These aphids are native to New England and other parts of the United States and eastern Canada. At least 6 generations per year have been reported from North Carolina.