▁spr uce ▁trees . ▁Much ▁of ▁its ▁development , ▁adult ▁life , ▁ov ip os iting ▁and ▁m ating ▁occurs ▁on ▁this ▁tree , ▁making ▁it ▁a ▁key ▁aspect ▁of ▁the ▁moth ’ s ▁life ▁cycle ▁and ▁habitat . ▁Con sequently , ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁the ▁moth ▁is ▁limited ▁to ▁regions ▁with ▁high ▁density ▁of ▁white ▁spr uce ▁trees , ▁such ▁as ▁Canada ▁and ▁other ▁Northern ▁temper ate ▁regions . ▁ ▁Life ▁history ▁ ▁E gg ▁▁ ▁Fem ale ▁spr uce ▁bud ▁moth s ▁ov ip os it ▁on ▁the ▁un - bur st ▁bud s ▁of ▁a ▁white ▁spr uce ▁tree . ▁Fem ales ▁test ▁out ▁potential ▁sites ▁to ▁ov ip os it ▁using ▁sens illa e ▁on ▁their ▁ov ip os itor , ▁a ▁re ceptor ▁on ▁their ▁feet . ▁Studies ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁on ▁average , ▁females ▁lay ▁just ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁eggs ▁total ▁in ▁their ▁lifetime , ▁and ▁that ▁ov ip os iting ▁occurs ▁approximately ▁ 6 – 7 ▁days ▁after ▁they ▁emer ge ▁as ▁adult s . ▁ ▁The ▁spr uce ▁bud ▁moth ▁h atch es ▁once ▁a ▁season , ▁making ▁it ▁un iv olt ine . ▁The ▁eggs ▁are ▁laid ▁in ▁July ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁spr uce ▁sho ots ▁then ▁h atch ▁in ▁May ▁after ▁over w inter ing . ▁They ▁are ▁laid ▁in ▁clusters ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 7 ▁eggs . ▁ ▁Lar va ▁ ▁The ▁moth ▁has ▁four ▁lar val ▁inst ars . ▁Upon ▁h atch ing , ▁lar va e ▁at ▁first