Leaf-miner
Guides
Aspilanta
Aspilanta is a genus of minute leaf-mining moths in the family Heliozelidae, erected in 2020 to accommodate North American species previously assigned to Antispila. Adults are distinguished by reduced wing venation and small size (wingspan 4.0–6.2 mm). Larvae feed internally in leaves of woody plants, primarily Vitaceae (grape family), with two species known from Hydrangeaceae and Myricaceae. The genus name is a partial anagram of Antispila.
Aspilanta ampelopsifoliella
A minute leaf-mining moth in the family Heliozelidae, native to eastern North America. Adults have a wingspan of 5–5.3 mm and are externally indistinguishable from the congeneric A. oinophylla. The larvae create distinctive serpentine-blotch mines in leaves of Virginia creeper and false Virginia creeper, cutting out a shield-shaped pupal case before emerging.
Aspilanta argentifera
Aspilanta argentifera is a minute moth in the family Heliozelidae, originally described by Annette Frances Braun in 1927 and transferred from Antispila to the new genus Aspilanta in 2020 based on molecular phylogenetics. The species is restricted to eastern North America and is a leaf miner whose larvae feed exclusively on plants in the family Myricaceae. Adults have distinctive silvery-white markings on dark brown forewings.
Aspilanta hydrangaeella
Aspilanta hydrangaeella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Heliozelidae, recently transferred from Antispila to the new genus Aspilanta based on phylogenetic evidence. Adults have a wingspan of 5.0–5.8 mm and are distinguished from congeners by white-tipped antennae. The larvae are specialized leaf miners of hydrangea plants, cutting out a shield-shaped pupal case from the leaf before emergence. The species occurs in the eastern United States.
Astrotischeria
trumpet leaf-miner moths
Astrotischeria is a New World genus of micromoth leaf miners in the family Tischeriidae, described in 2003. The genus is distributed across the Americas from the United States through the Caribbean and Central America to South America. Larvae are leaf miners, with most studied species associated with host plants in the Asteraceae family, particularly the subfamily Asteroideae. Some species exhibit a distinctive three-lobed male genital valva, a novel character for Tischeriidae. The genus includes at least 21 described species, with new species continuing to be discovered in the Neotropics.
Astrotischeria ambrosiaeella
Astrotischeria ambrosiaeella is a small moth in the family Tischeriidae, first described in 1875. The species is known for its leaf-mining larvae that feed on giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida). It occurs across a broad geographic range in North America, from California to the southeastern United States.
Astrotischeria helianthi
Astrotischeria helianthi is a small moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by Frey and Boll in 1878. The species is native to North America and has been recorded in Missouri and Ohio. Tischeriid moths are leaf-miners, and the specific epithet 'helianthi' suggests a potential association with plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Astrotischeria heliopsisella
A small moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by V.T. Chambers in 1875. The species is known from the central United States, where its larvae create leaf mines on two specific host plants.
Astrotischeria occidentalis
Astrotischeria occidentalis is a small moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by entomologist Annette Frances Braun in 1972. The species is known from North America. Members of this family are commonly called trumpet leaf miner moths due to the distinctive feeding patterns of their larvae.
Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859. The larvae create distinctive mines in leaves of goldenrod (Solidago) species. The species occurs across eastern North America.
Aulagromyza
Aulagromyza is a genus of leaf-miner flies in the family Agromyzidae, comprising approximately 50 described species distributed across the Holarctic region. Species in this genus are primarily phytophagous, with larvae that feed internally within leaf parenchyma, creating distinctive blotch or serpentine mines. Several species are monophagous or oligophagous, showing strong host associations with particular plant genera including Fraxinus (ash), Lonicera (honeysuckle), and Populus (poplar). The genus is of ecological interest due to its role in leaf herbivory and its interactions with parasitoid wasps.
Aulagromyza cornigera
Aulagromyza cornigera is a leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae. Its larvae create distinctive linear mines on leaves of honeysuckle family plants, particularly Lonicera and Symphoricarpos. The species is univoltine, with larval activity occurring from late March through early June. It has a transatlantic distribution, occurring across Europe and in North America.
Aulagromyza orbitalis
Aulagromyza orbitalis is a species of leaf-mining fly in the family Agromyzidae, first described by Melander in 1913. It belongs to a genus of small flies whose larvae create distinctive feeding patterns within leaf tissue. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont. As with other Aulagromyza species, the adults are typically small and inconspicuous, while the larval stage is the most economically and ecologically significant due to leaf-mining damage.
Bagous americanus
Bagous americanus is a species of true weevil in the family Curculionidae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species is associated with the aquatic plant Nymphaea odorata (American white waterlily), on which both adults and larvae feed. Larvae are leaf miners, developing within the leaves of their host plant.
Baliosus nervosus
Basswood Leafminer, basswood leaf miner
Baliosus nervosus is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the basswood leafminer. It is native to North America and has been recorded from eastern Canada including New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The species is associated with basswood (Tilia spp.) as its primary host, with adults skeletonizing leaf surfaces and larvae creating leaf mines. It has also been observed mining soybean leaves.
Banisia myrsusalis
sapodilla borer, sapota midrib folder
Banisia myrsusalis is a small moth in the family Thyrididae, described by Francis Walker in 1859. It is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions including the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The species is known for its association with sapodilla and related trees, where larvae fold leaf midribs and mine tissues. Adults are distinguished by greyish-brown wings with linear dark striations and yellow costal margins.
Batrachedra
Batrachedra is the largest genus in the moth family Batrachedridae, containing approximately 114 species as of 2018. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with particularly high diversity in the Indomalayan realm. The name derives from Greek 'batrachos' (frog) and 'edra' (seat), referring to the frog-like resting posture of adults. Early stages remain unknown for most species.
Bedellia somnulentella
sweet potato leaf miner, morning-glory leafminer moth
Bedellia somnulentella is a microlepidopteran leaf-mining moth in the family Bedelliidae, native to Asia and now nearly cosmopolitan in distribution. It is a significant agricultural pest of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and related Convolvulaceae, with larvae feeding on leaf mesophyll and reducing photosynthetic capacity. The species has expanded its range through association with cultivated crops and maintains populations on wild Ipomoea species during off-season periods. It has been documented across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.
Blastodacna atra
Apple Pith Moth
Blastodacna atra, commonly known as the apple pith moth, is a small moth in the family Elachistidae. It is native to most of Europe and has been introduced to North America, where it has been recorded in Massachusetts and Ontario. The species is notable for its larval habit of mining inside the young shoots of apple trees (Malus species), which can cause localized damage to orchards. Adults are active from May through September in western Europe.
Bohemannia
Bohemannia is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as microlepidoptera. The genus contains nine described species distributed primarily across Europe and East Asia. These moths are among the smallest lepidopterans, with most species described in the 19th and 20th centuries. Larvae of Nepticulidae are leaf miners, though specific host associations for most Bohemannia species remain poorly documented.
Brachys
Leaf-mining jewel beetles
Brachys is a genus of small metallic wood-boring beetles in the family Buprestidae, tribe Trachyini. The genus contains at least 140 described species distributed primarily in North America, with some species in Central and South America. Adults are characterized by their flattened, compact, wedge-shaped morphology—distinctly different from the more typical elongate, cylindrical form of most jewel beetles. This body plan reflects their unique larval habit of mining within leaves of host plants rather than boring through wood. The genus is strongly associated with oaks (Quercus) and other hardwoods, though some species utilize diverse host plant families.
BuprestidaeAgrilinaeTrachyinileaf-mineroak-associatejewel-beetlemetallic-wood-boring-beetlehardwood-forestphenologyNorth-AmericaSouth-AmericaCerradoQuercusBrachys-ovatusBrachys-aerosusBrachys-aeruginosusBrachys-querciBrachys-cephalicusBrachys-floccosusBrachys-barberiBrachys-rileyiBrachys-apacheiBrachys-cleidecostaeBrachys-tessellatusBrachys aerosus
Northern Red Oak Jewel Beetle
Brachys aerosus is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, tribe Trachyini. Adults measure 3–5 mm in length and exhibit highly variable coloration, with the basal region of the elytra typically showing purple, blue, or green luster and the apical area covered in gold to bronze pubescence. The species is commonly associated with hardwood trees, particularly oaks and elms, though its broad host range and morphological variability suggest it may represent a cryptic species complex. Larvae are leaf miners rather than wood borers, a distinctive trait of the tribe Trachyini.
Brachys aeruginosus
Brachys aeruginosus is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Gory in 1841. It belongs to the tribe Trachyini, a group characterized by flattened, compact, wedge-shaped adults whose larvae mine within leaves rather than boring through wood. The species is uncommonly encountered compared to congeners and is most often associated with oaks. It is found in North America, with records from Canada (Manitoba, Ontario, Québec) and the United States.
Brachys fasciferus
Brachys fasciferus is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, tribe Trachyini. It is native to North America. Members of the genus Brachys are leaf-miners as larvae, developing within the leaves of hardwood trees rather than boring through wood, a habit that distinguishes them from most other buprestids.
Brachys floricola
Brachys floricola is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to North America and primarily found in the continental United States. It belongs to the genus Brachys, a group characterized by flattened, compact, wedge-shaped bodies and leaf-mining larval habits. Members of this genus typically mine the leaves of hardwood trees, particularly oaks (Quercus). The species is part of the tribe Trachyini, which exhibits highly derived morphology compared to other jewel beetles.
Brachys ovatus
Oval Jewel Beetle
Brachys ovatus is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is the largest of the three Brachys species occurring in Missouri, typically exceeding 5 mm in length. The species is a leaf-miner, with larvae developing within oak leaves rather than boring through wood. It is widely distributed across Central and North America.
Brachys wellsoi
Brachys wellsoi is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, tribe Trachyini. Members of this genus are leaf-miners of hardwood trees, primarily oaks (Quercus). The tribe Trachyini exhibits a distinctive flattened, compact, wedge-shaped body form compared to the more typical elongate, cylindrical shape of other buprestids. This morphology is associated with their unique larval habit of mining within leaf tissue rather than boring through wood.
Bucculatricidae
Ribbed Cocoon-Making Moths
Bucculatricidae is a small family of moths in the superfamily Gracillarioidea, with representatives distributed worldwide. Adults are minute with narrow wings held tightly around the body at rest, making them easily overlooked. Larvae exhibit hypermetamorphosis with distinct changes in feeding habits between instars: early instars are typically leaf miners forming characteristic blotches or linear mines, while later instars usually feed externally on leaves or bore into stems. The family is notable for pupal cases with distinctive longitudinal ridges, giving rise to the common name 'ribbed cocoon makers.' Some authors recognize only the single genus Bucculatrix, though Australian genera Cryphioxena and Ogmograptis (scribbly gum moths) are now frequently included.
Bucculatrix
ribbed cocoon-maker moths
Bucculatrix is a genus of small moths in the family Bucculatricidae, commonly known as ribbed cocoon-maker moths. Larvae of many species are leaf miners on specific host plants, with some species exhibiting hypermetamorphosis—shifting from leaf mining in early instars to leaf skeletonization in later instars. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with species described from all major continents.
Bucculatrix ainsliella
Oak Skeletonizer Moth, Oak Leaf Skeletonizer
Bucculatrix ainsliella is a micromoth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Mary Murtfeldt in 1905. It is native to North America and has been introduced to Europe, with first records from the Netherlands and Belgium in 2011. The species is notable for its distinctive larval feeding behavior on oak leaves, progressing from internal leaf mining to external skeletonization.
Bucculatrix albertiella
Oak Ribbed Casemaker, Oak-ribbed Skeletonizer
A minute moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by August Busck in 1909. The species is restricted to the west coast of North America and is associated with oak hosts. Larvae are leaf miners that produce distinctive ribbed cocoons.
Bucculatrix ambrosiaefoliella
Bucculatrix ambrosiaefoliella is a small moth species in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by V. T. Chambers in 1875. It is distributed across North America from California to the northeastern United States. The species is notable for its leaf-mining larval stage and distinctive ribbed cocoon. Adults are active in late summer and autumn, with evidence suggesting they overwinter in the adult stage.
Bucculatrix anaticula
Bucculatrix anaticula is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. The species is known from only a handful of records in eastern North America, specifically from Ontario, Canada and Kentucky, USA. Like other members of the genus, it is commonly referred to as a "ribbed cocoon-maker moth" due to the distinctive ribbed structure of its larval cocoon. The genus Bucculatrix contains approximately 300 described species, most of which are poorly known and difficult to identify without examination of genitalia.
Bucculatrix ceanothiella
Bucculatrix ceanothiella is a minute moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Annette Frances Braun in 1918. The species is known only from California, with a wingspan of approximately 6.5 mm. Adults are active during multiple periods throughout the year, and larvae are specialized leaf miners on Ceanothus species.
Bucculatrix cerina
Bucculatrix cerina is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, commonly known as ribbed cocoon-maker moths. It was first described in 1963 by lepidopterist Annette Frances Braun. The species is known only from Florida in North America, with adult records from January and November. Like other members of its genus, it likely has a specialized leaf-mining larval stage and constructs distinctive ribbed cocoons for pupation, though these life history details have not been directly documented for this species.
Bucculatrix copeuta
Bucculatrix copeuta is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Edward Meyrick in 1919. The species is known from limited records in North America, specifically Ontario, Canada and Maine, USA. Larvae of this genus are known as "ribbed cocoon-makers" and construct distinctive ribbed cocoons on host plants. The larval host for B. copeuta has been tentatively associated with Prunus pensylvanica.
Bucculatrix cuneigera
ribbed cocoon-maker moth
Bucculatrix cuneigera is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Edward Meyrick in 1919. It occurs in eastern North America from Quebec and Ontario south to North Carolina. Adults have a wingspan of 9-10.5 mm and are active from May to July. The larvae are specialist feeders on Aster species, mining the leaves of their host plants.
Bucculatrix enceliae
Bucculatrix enceliae is a minute moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. The species is restricted to the southwestern United States, with confirmed records from California and Arizona. Adults are active in spring, and the larvae are specialized leaf miners of Encelia farinosa, a desert shrub in the sunflower family.
Bucculatrix ericameriae
Bucculatrix ericameriae is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It is known only from California, where adults fly in March. The larvae feed on Ericameria arborescens, a shrub in the aster family. Like other members of its genus, it is commonly called a 'ribbed cocoon-maker moth' due to the distinctive ribbed structure of its larval cocoon.
Bucculatrix inusitata
Cedar Bucculatrix
Bucculatrix inusitata is a minute moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It is one of the 'ribbed cocoon-maker' moths, named for the distinctive cocoon structure constructed by larvae. The species is known from a limited geographic range in northeastern North America, with records from Quebec to New Jersey. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 9.5–10 mm.
Bucculatrix ivella
groundsel leaf-perforator moth, groundsel leaf-mining moth
Bucculatrix ivella is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by August Busck in 1900. Native to North America, it has been introduced to Queensland, Australia. The species is known for its larval feeding behavior on Baccharis species, earning it the common name 'groundsel leaf-perforator moth' or 'groundsel leaf-mining moth'.
Bucculatrix ochristrigella
Bucculatrix ochristrigella is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Annette Frances Braun in 1910. It is known only from California in western North America. Adults are active in April and have a wingspan of 11–12 mm. The larvae are leaf miners that have been reared on Madia gracilis, a species of tarweed in the sunflower family.
Bucculatrix pomifoliella
Apple Skeletonizer Moth
Bucculatrix pomifoliella is a minute moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860. It is known from eastern and central North America, with records spanning from the northeastern United States through the Midwest and into western Canada. The species is recognized for its leaf-mining larvae that feed on Rosaceae host plants, including apple (Malus) and various Prunus species.
Bucculatrix quadrigemina
A small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1918. Known from California, where larvae mine leaves of Althaea rosea (hollyhock). Adults fly from January through June and again in October. The species exhibits typical bucculatricid biology: early instars are leaf miners, later instars feed externally creating holes, and pupation occurs in a white cocoon.
Bucculatrix recognita
A small North American micromoth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. Adults are active from August through October. The larvae are leaf miners that feed specifically on bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa).
Bucculatrix separabilis
Bucculatrix separabilis is a species of moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It is known only from California, where it has been recorded as a leaf miner on Baccharis pilularis. As a member of the genus Bucculatrix, it is part of a group commonly known as 'ribbed cocoon-maker moths' due to the distinctive ribbed structure of their larval cocoons. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature beyond its original description.
Bucculatrix sexnotata
A small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1927. The species is known from scattered records across eastern and western North America, from California to the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Like other members of the genus, it is a ribbed cocoon-making moth with larvae that feed as leaf miners.
Bucculatrix solidaginiella
Goldenrod Bucculatrix
Bucculatrix solidaginiella is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It is found in eastern and central North America, with records from Florida to Maine and west to Missouri. The species is associated with goldenrod (Solidago) as a larval host plant. Adults are active from spring through mid-summer.
Bucculatrix sororcula
Bucculatrix sororcula is a micro-moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It is recorded from Arizona and California in western North America. Members of this genus are commonly known as ribbed cocoon-maker moths due to the distinctive ribbed structure of their larval cocoons. The family Bucculatricidae is a small group of leaf-mining moths within the superfamily Gracillarioidea.
Bucculatrix staintonella
Bucculatrix staintonella is a small North American moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1878. The species has a wingspan of 6.5–9 mm and is known from scattered records across the central and eastern United States. Adults are active during multiple periods throughout the year, with flight records spanning January and March through April, June through July, and September through October. The larvae feed on Populus species.