▁remain ▁within ▁burst ing ▁spr uce ▁bud s . ▁The ▁first ▁and ▁second ▁inst ar ▁lar va e ▁feed ▁inside ▁the ▁need les ▁of ▁the ▁spr uce , ▁while ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁fourth ▁inst ar ▁lar va e ▁eat ▁spr uce ▁sho ots . ▁This ▁dest ro ys ▁the ▁cort ical ▁t issue , ▁leading ▁to ▁weak ening ▁sho ots , ▁tree ▁height ▁loss , ▁and ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁crown ▁of ▁the ▁tree ▁over ▁time . ▁Lar va e ▁feed ▁on ▁the ▁need les ▁and ▁sho ots ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁six ▁weeks ▁before ▁dro pping ▁to ▁the ▁ground , ▁spin ning ▁sil k ▁from ▁ground ▁materials , ▁and ▁c oc oon ing ▁to ▁pup ate . ▁The ▁age ▁of ▁the ▁bud ▁can ▁affect ▁the ▁surv ival ▁of ▁Z . ▁canad ensis , ▁with ▁older ▁bud s ▁neg atively ▁impact ing ▁size ▁and ▁surv ival . ▁ ▁P up a ▁ ▁The ▁lar va e ▁of ▁the ▁spr uce ▁bud ▁moth ▁pup ate ▁in ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁May . ▁The ▁entire ▁process ▁takes ▁ 1 0 ▁days ▁to ▁complete . ▁When ▁lar va e ▁develop ▁into ▁prep up ae , ▁they ▁fall ▁from ▁the ▁spr uce ▁bud ▁shoot ▁onto ▁the ▁ground ▁and ▁stay ▁in ▁that ▁stage ▁for ▁ 6 ▁days . ▁The ▁moth ▁pup ates ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁with ▁its ▁l itter m ates . ▁ ▁Ad ult ▁ ▁The ▁adult s ▁begin ▁m ating ▁within ▁the ▁first ▁night ▁post - ec los ion ▁to ▁produce ▁small ▁clusters ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 7 ▁eggs