The Spruce Leader Weevil is a common name that was given to weevils that attack sitka spruce, white spruce and engelmann spruce. In the scientific community it is now actually called the White Pine Weevil even though spruce is its primary target. It has been known to sometimes attack other spruce species and also pine species.
The Spruce Leader Weevil / White Pine Weevil's latin name is Pissodes strobi.
The weevil attacks young trees from 1.5 - 10 m in height. Spring brings the first signs of attack where small puncture wounds show up in the stem near the tip of the previous year's leader. By summer the leader will be distorted and limp / wilted and is said to resemble a shepard's crook. The damage does not kill the tree outright, but repeated attacks cause the tree to be deformed with multiple leaders.
For more information on the Spruce Leader Weevil a handy field reference guide can be found here:https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/forestry/forest-health/forest-health-docs/field_guide_to_forest_damage_in_bc_web.pdf
All hides for this Spruce Geo Art Series are camoed pill bottles or bison tubes. Each container contains a logsheet sealed in a tiny zip lock bag. Please bring your own pencil. This cache is not hidden at the posted coordinates, however all the information you need is on this cache page. North 53 39.122 West 122 57.764
Photo Credit: Shepards Crook from Weevil Damage image is from the Field Guide to Forest Damage in British Columbia - Natural Resources Canada / Canadian Forest Service / Pacific Forestry Center Forest Health Network- Figure 111 page 75.
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