Chestnut-associated
Guides
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.