Ericaceae-feeder
Guides
Acleris curvalana
Blueberry Leaftier Moth
Acleris curvalana, commonly known as the blueberry leaftier moth, is a small tortricid moth native to North America. The species is named for its larval habit of tying together blueberry leaves with silk. Adults are active from spring through mid-summer, with a wingspan of approximately 14 mm and distinctive yellow and ochreous-red forewings. The larvae are oligophagous, feeding primarily on Vaccinium and related Ericaceae species, with records from additional host plants including oak and rose.
Callophrys augustinus
Brown Elfin, Western Elfin (subspecies iroides)
Callophrys augustinus, the brown elfin, is a small lycaenid butterfly with a wingspan of 22–29 mm. Adults are active in a single generation from early May to early June. The species is univoltine with pupal hibernation. Larvae feed on Ericaceae species in eastern North America and a broader range of host plants in western populations.
Coptodisca kalmiella
Coptodisca kalmiella is a small moth in the family Heliozelidae, described from New Jersey in 1921. The species is notable for its specialized leaf-mining larvae that feed exclusively on Kalmia angustifolia. Its life cycle includes a distinctive behavior where larvae construct portable oval cases from leaf tissue and drop to the ground to pupate.
Macaria brunneata
Rannoch looper
Macaria brunneata, the Rannoch looper, is a day-flying geometrid moth with a distinctive resting posture. The species shows a disjunct distribution across the Northern Hemisphere, occurring in boreal and montane regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. In Britain, it is highly localized to mature pine forests in central Scotland. The caterpillars feed on Ericaceae, particularly Vaccinium species.
Pyla fusca
Speckled Black Pyla Moth
Pyla fusca is a snout moth in the subfamily Phycitinae with a Holarctic distribution. It is the only member of its genus found outside North America, making it taxonomically distinctive. The species is associated with heathland habitats, particularly areas of burnt heath where its dark coloration provides camouflage. Adults are active during summer months, and larvae feed on Ericaceae plants.
Syngrapha epigaea
Epigaea Looper Moth, Pirate Looper Moth, Narrow Silver Y
Syngrapha epigaea is a noctuid moth species first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1874. It occurs across boreal and temperate regions of North America, with adults active during mid-summer. The species is univoltine, producing one generation per year. Larvae feed on specific ericaceous host plants, with documented associations to Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) and Kalmia angustifolia (sheep laurel).