Objective The aim of this study was to know the different preferences on different parts of Chinese pine by the pine caterpillar and the possible mechanisms which provides the basis information data for the future pest forecast simulation.

MethodsAccording to the indoor simulated experiments, the author analyzed the amount of egg mass laid on different types of pine needles by the pine caterpillar adult, the feeding preference and death rate of larvae feeding on different types of pine needles. We tested the content of inclusions in pine needles and analyzed the relationship between the preference and the content of pine needles.

ResultsThe results showed that the number of egg mass laid on One-year-old pine needles was 3.10±0.28 which was significantly higher than Two-years-old pine needles and Three-years-old pine needles. The amount of larvae feeding on one-year-old pine needles was the biggest (13.40±0.91) and the death rate was the lowest (13.60%±4.87%), which were significantly better than feeding on Two-years-old pine needles and three-years-old pine needles. The paper results indicated that the pine caterpillar had feeding and oviposition preferences. The preference behaviors were significant positive correlation on water content (P < 0.01), and negative correlation on the contents of total phenol (P < 0.01) and C/N (P < 0.05) of these three kinds of pine needles.

Conclusion The pine caterpillar preferred to feed and oviposition on one-year-old pine needles. The reason of the preference behaviors maybe was the higher water content, the lower total phenol and carbon content of One-year-old pine needles.