Asteraceae-associate
Guides
Acmaeodera macra
metallic wood-boring beetle
Acmaeodera macra is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) notable for its unusual fall activity period, occurring from late August through September when most North American Acmaeodera species have finished their seasonal activity. Adults are medium-sized with black coloration, bronzy sheen, and typically eight small yellow spots arranged in two longitudinal rows on each elytron. The species occurs across the southern Great Plains and southwestern United States, with its northernmost records in northwestern Oklahoma.
Acmaeodera resplendens
Resplendent Buprestid
Acmaeodera resplendens is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1937. The species is distinguished by its brilliant metallic green to copper coloration. It has been collected from flowers of several composite species in montane habitats of southern Arizona, particularly from Heliomeris longifolia and Bahia dissecta. The specific epithet 'resplendens' refers to its striking, resplendent appearance.
Calycomyza smallanthi
Calycomyza smallanthi is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, described in 2019. It is associated with plants in the genus Smallanthus, likely forming leaf mines on the foliage of its host plants. As a recently described species, detailed biological information remains limited. The genus Calycomyza contains numerous species that are specialists on particular host plants, primarily in the Asteraceae family.
Ceratogastra
Ceratogastra is a genus of ichneumon wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. The best-known species, Ceratogastra ornata, is a small wasp measuring 10–12 millimeters in body length, recognized by its ornate yellow and reddish-brown or black color pattern. Four subspecies of C. ornata are recognized, showing geographic variation in coloration from darker northern forms to paler western and southern populations. Members of this genus are flower visitors and parasitoids of moth larvae.
Coleophora acamtopappi
A case-bearing moth species in the family Coleophoridae, described by Busck in 1915. The species is known from California and has specialized larval associations with specific host plants. Larvae construct distinctive three-valved silken cases and feed internally on seeds.
Crossidius humeralis
Crossidius humeralis is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1858. It belongs to a diverse, exclusively western North American genus whose members are intimately associated with flowering shrubs in the Asteraceae family. Like other Crossidius species, adults are diurnal and strongly tied to their host plants for feeding and reproduction.
Crossidius pulchellus
Beautiful Longhorned Beetle
Crossidius pulchellus is a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1861. Unlike most cerambycids that develop in dead wood, this species has evolved a root-boring lifestyle in living perennial shrubs of the family Asteraceae. Adults are strongly associated with flowers of their host plants, where they feed, mate, and shelter. The species exhibits the dense vestiture (hair covering) characteristic of the genus and shows geographic variation across its range in the Great Plains and southern Rocky Mountains.
Hellinsia grandis
Coyote Brush Borer Plume Moth
Hellinsia grandis, commonly known as the coyote brush borer plume moth, is a plume moth in the family Pterophoridae. It is distributed across western North America from California through Mexico to Guatemala. The species is notable for its specialized larval association with Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush), where larvae bore into stems. Adults are active in August and have a wingspan of approximately 34 mm.
Homoeosoma deceptorium
Black-banded Homoeosoma Moth
Homoeosoma deceptorium is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, described by Carl Heinrich in 1956. It is found in eastern North America, with records from Florida to Ontario. The species is part of a genus that includes several sunflower-associated moths, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited. Its common name references the black-banded pattern on the wings.
Landryia impositella
Landryia impositella is a minute moth in the family Scythrididae, known from prairie and grassland habitats in western Canada and the northern United States. Adults are among the smallest Lepidoptera, with a body length of approximately 4–5 mm. The species was originally described in the genus Butalis before being transferred to Landryia. Like other members of this genus, it is associated with composite flowers, particularly those in the Asteraceae.
Listrus senilis
Listrus senilis is a small soft-winged flower beetle (family Melyridae, subfamily Dasytinae) distributed across the Great Plains of North America. Adults are typically found feeding on pollen of yellow-flowered asteraceous plants, particularly Heterotheca species. The species was redescribed by Mawdsley (1999) who provided notes on its biology.
Mecas
Mecas is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) in the tribe Saperdini, distributed in North America. Species in this genus are stem- and root-borers, with larvae developing internally within host plant tissues. Some species have been documented as pests of cultivated sunflowers, while others are associated with native Asteraceae and other plants. The genus contains approximately 18 described species across three subgenera.
Neolasioptera rudbeckiae
Neolasioptera rudbeckiae is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. The specific epithet 'rudbeckiae' indicates an association with Rudbeckia (coneflowers), suggesting this species forms galls on these plants. As a member of the genus Neolasioptera, it belongs to a group of gall midges known for inducing stem and leaf galls on Asteraceae. The species was described by E.P. Felt in 1908.
Pleotrichophorus gnaphalodes
Pleotrichophorus gnaphalodes is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae, described by Palmer in 1938. It belongs to the genus Pleotrichophorus, a group of aphids associated with Asteraceae host plants. The species has been documented in limited observations, with records available through iNaturalist. Like other members of its genus, it likely specializes on particular host plants within its family.
Rhopalomyia
Rhopalomyia is a large genus of gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) comprising at least 220–267 described species with cosmopolitan distribution. Established by Ewald Heinrich Rübsaamen in 1892, most species induce highly specific galls on Asteraceae, though some species have expanded to Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, Ericaceae, and Myrtaceae. Galls occur on diverse plant organs including buds, leaves, stems, rhizomes, and flower heads. The genus exhibits complex host associations and gall polymorphism, with some species serving as biological control agents.
Scythris mixaula
Scythris mixaula is a minute moth in the family Scythrididae, described by Edward Meyrick in 1916. The species is characterized by its extremely small size (approximately 4-5 mm in length) and association with flowering plants, particularly composites in the Asteraceae family. It belongs to a poorly studied group of microlepidopterans known as "flower moths," many of which remain undescribed or await taxonomic revision. The species has been documented in western North America, including Alberta, Canada.
Smicronyx vestitus
Smicronyx vestitus is a species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, first described by Casey in 1892. The genus Smicronyx includes seed weevils that are associated with sunflowers and other plants in the Asteraceae family. Some congeners, such as Smicronyx fulvus and Smicronyx sordidus, are recognized agricultural pests of sunflower crops. The specific biology and host associations of S. vestitus remain poorly documented in published literature.