Castanea-specialist
Guides
Myzocallis castaneae
Chestnut Gay Louse
Myzocallis castaneae is an aphid species in the family Aphididae, commonly known as the Chestnut Gay Louse. It is a specialist feeder on Castanea species, including American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and related chestnut trees. The species was first described by Fitch in 1856. Like other aphids, it feeds by piercing plant tissue and extracting phloem sap.
Stigmella castaneaefoliella
Stigmella castaneaefoliella is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as pygmy leaf-mining moths. The species is a specialist herbivore on Castanea (chestnut) species, with larvae creating distinctive leaf mines. It was first recorded in New York state in a 2021 study examining insect communities dependent on American chestnut. The species has persisted despite the near-extinction of its primary host, American chestnut, by utilizing non-native chestnut species as alternative hosts.