Coptotriche malifoliella

Adults are small, nondescript moths typical of Tischeriidae. Larvae are identified by their distinctive trumpet-shaped leaf mines on apple (Malus) and hawthorn (Crataegus) leaves, with the mine expanding from a narrow linear beginning to a broad blotch. The specific epithet 'malifoliella' references apple foliage.

Associated with deciduous woodland edges, orchards, and areas where host plants (Malus coronaria, Malus domestica, Crataegus coccinea) occur.

North America: Ontario (Canada), District of Columbia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas (USA).

Larvae feed on leaves of Crataegus coccinea, Malus coronaria, and Malus domestica, creating internal leaf mines. Adult feeding habits are not documented.

• Crataegus coccinea - larval hostleaf miner
• Malus coronaria - larval hostleaf miner
• Malus domestica - larval hostleaf miner

Larvae mine leaves of host plants; specific details of egg, pupal, and adult stages are not documented in available sources.

Larvae create trumpet-shaped leaf mines, beginning as narrow linear tracks that expand into broader blotches.

Leaf miner; may cause minor damage to host plant foliage. Specific ecological impacts are not documented.

Minor potential pest of cultivated apple (Malus domestica) due to leaf mining damage.

• Other Coptotriche speciesSimilar small size and leaf-mining habit; distinguished by host plant association and mine morphology
• Other TischeriidaeSimilar family-level characteristics; species identification requires examination of genitalia or host-specific mine patterns

• leaf miner
• orchard pest
• North American
• Tischeriidae
• Malus
• Crataegus

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life