Zimmerman pine moth is an injurious pest of pine trees in Nebraska. This insect attacks Austrian, scotch, jack, ponderosa, and white pine trees and occasionally spruce. Zimmerman pine moths damage trees as larvae by boring and tunneling beneath the bark of the trunk and branches, usually where the branch is attached to the trunk. Tunneling damage can girdle the trunk or branches and physically weaken the tree. Infested trees show branch dieback, deformed growth, and may die. Three species of Zimmerman pine moth occur in Nebraska and have a limited distribution. They are Dioryctria tumicolella, D. zimmermani, and D. ponderosae.

The following policy and procedures are being adopted by the NDA concerning Zimmerman pine moth infested nurseries:

1. Trees found to be infested with Zimmerman pine moth will be painted with orange spray paint (by NDA inspectors) and will be required to be rogued out of the field.
2. Zimmerman pine moth infested nurseries with Christmas trees which are tightly sheared can't be inspected properly and won't be certified as nursery stock if the inspector can't adequately see into the trunk area.
3. Blocks of pine trees have to be adequately marked with block signs so the inspector can refer to these on the inspection report.
4. If the inspector finds that 20% of the block is infested with Zimmerman pine moth, the entire block is restricted and withdrawn from distribution and no trees in that block are certified. The NDA has the right to post signs indicating blocks which are totally restricted.
5. Two insecticide treatments (as recommended by the University of Nebraska, Department of Entomology) for the control of Zimmerman pine moth will be required at nurseries with known infestations. The first treatment will need to be applied between April 7 and 30 and the second treatment will need to be applied between August 7 and 30. The chemical of choice is chlorpyrifos (Dursban), applied according to label directions. Acephate (Orthene) or dimethoate (Cygon) may also provide some control. Treatment records must be maintained which should include date applied, chemical used, amount of chemical used, and applicator. These records may be audited by the NDA.
6. The chemical should be directed at the trunk and branches from the top to the bottom of the tree so the bark becomes throughly wet to the point of run-off. Only certain types of spray equipment will be accepted for treatment purposes. Aerial application will not afford adequate coverage. Spray equipment should deliver the proper droplet size to adequately drench the trunk area.