Leaf-tier
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.
Acleris fuscana
Small Aspen Leaftier Moth
Acleris fuscana is a small tortricid moth commonly known as the Small Aspen Leaftier Moth. The species has been recorded across northern Europe and North America, with observations concentrated in boreal and hemiboreal regions. It is treated as an ambiguous synonym of Acleris obtusana in some taxonomic sources, reflecting ongoing nomenclatural uncertainty. The common name references larval behavior of tying aspen leaves together.
Acrobasis ostryella
Acrobasis ostryella is a snout moth (family Pyralidae) described by Charles Russell Ely in 1913. The species has one generation per year and occurs in eastern North America. Larvae are specialized feeders on Ostrya virginiana (American hophornbeam), constructing silk tubes at the base of leaves where they overwinter. The species is one of approximately 60 Acrobasis species in North America, many of which are associated with woody host plants.
Anacampsis argyrothamniella
Anacampsis argyrothamniella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1900. It is known from a restricted range in the southeastern United States, with confirmed records from Florida and Georgia. The species is associated with the host plant Argyrothamnia blodgettii, on which its larvae feed by tying leaves together.
Anacampsis lagunculariella
Anacampsis lagunculariella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1900. It occurs in the Caribbean and southeastern United States, with larvae that feed on Laguncularia racemosa, a mangrove species. The species exhibits distinctive wing patterning including black costal markings and rows of small black dots near the wing apex.
Antaeotricha humilis
Dotted Anteotricha Moth
Antaeotricha humilis is a small moth in the family Depressariidae, first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1855. It is widespread across the eastern and central United States, where its larvae feed on oak species by tying leaves together. Adults are characterized by their small size and pale, subtly marked forewings with distinctive brown spotting.
Aroga
Aroga is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Busck in 1914. The genus contains multiple species distributed across North America and parts of Eurasia. At least one species, Aroga argutiola, has been documented as a leaf-tier on sweet fern in Michigan, with a univoltine life cycle. Most species are poorly studied beyond basic taxonomic descriptions.
Canarsia ulmiarrosorella
Elm Leaftier Moth
Canarsia ulmiarrosorella, the elm leaftier moth, is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae. It is the sole member of the monotypic genus Canarsia. The species is native to North America and has been documented in Massachusetts, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Vermont. Larvae are known to feed on elm foliage, tying leaves together with silk.
Cenopis pettitana
Maple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
Cenopis pettitana, known as the Maple-Basswood Leafroller Moth, is a tortricid moth native to eastern North America. The species was originally described as Sparganothis pettitana by Robinson in 1869 and later transferred to the genus Cenopis. It is a leaf-rolling species whose larvae feed on maple and basswood foliage. The moth is relatively well-documented with over 5,500 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is common and frequently encountered in its range.
Chionodes obscurusella
boxelder leafworm moth
Chionodes obscurusella, commonly known as the boxelder leafworm moth, is a small gelechiid moth native to North America. The species has a wingspan of approximately 12 mm and exhibits distinctive forewing patterning with black spots and dashes on a dull ochreous-fuscous background. Larvae are leaf-tiers, constructing shelters by tying leaves together on their host plants. The species is part of a Nearctic species group associated with hardwood trees in the genera Acer, Quercus, and Salix.
Cnephasia longana
Long-winged Shade, Omnivorous Leaftier Moth, Strawberry Fruitworm
Cnephasia longana is a small tortricid moth native to western Europe and introduced to western North America. Adults show strong sexual dimorphism in wing coloration. The species is notable for its broad larval diet spanning multiple plant families and its status as a pest of cereal crops. First-instar larvae overwinter in bark crevices before resuming feeding in spring.
Dichomeris acuminatus
Alfalfa Leaf Tier, Alfalfa Leaftier Moth
Dichomeris acuminatus is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, commonly known as the alfalfa leaf tier. It has an exceptionally broad distribution spanning multiple continents including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. The species was first described by Otto Staudinger in 1876. Despite its common name suggesting association with alfalfa, the species appears to be a generalist with a wide ecological tolerance given its cosmopolitan range.
Epinotia cruciana
willow tortrix, Willow Tortrix Moth
Epinotia cruciana, commonly known as the willow tortrix, is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 12–15 mm. The species is distinguished by its characteristic wing pattern featuring pale brown ground color with dark brown markings on the forewings that form a cross-like shape, referenced in its specific epithet "cruciana". It has a broad distribution spanning Europe, Asia, and North America. The larvae are specialized feeders on willows and sallows, particularly Salix repens.
Episimus tyrius
Maple Tip Borer Moth, Maple Leaftier Moth
Episimus tyrius, commonly known as the Maple Tip Borer Moth or Maple Leaftier Moth, is a tortricid moth species described by Heinrich in 1923. The species is primarily associated with maple trees, with larvae that bore into leaf tips or tie leaves together. It occurs in the eastern United States, where it has been documented from New York south to Florida and west to Texas. The species is relatively well-documented, with over 500 observations recorded.
Galasa nigrinodis
Boxwood Leaftier Moth, Boxwood Webworm
A small pyralid moth native to eastern North America, commonly known as the boxwood leaftier moth or boxwood webworm. The species is specialized on Buxus (boxwood) as a larval host. Larvae construct shelters by tying together dead leaves with silk, feeding within these protective webs. Adults are active from early summer through early autumn.
Machimia tentoriferella
gold-striped leaftier moth
Machimia tentoriferella, commonly known as the gold-striped leaftier moth, is a small moth in the family Depressariidae. Larvae construct distinctive rolled or tied leaf enclosures, a behavior reflected in the species name derived from Latin 'tentorium' meaning 'a tent'. The species is widespread in eastern North America and is associated with multiple hardwood tree hosts.
Nites betulella
Black-dotted Birch Leaftier Moth
Nites betulella, commonly known as the black-dotted birch leaftier moth, is a small moth species in the family Depressariidae. First described by August Busck in 1902, it is distributed across North America from the northeastern United States and Canada westward to British Columbia. The species is notable for its association with birch and other deciduous trees as larval hosts.
Olethreutes ferriferana
Hydrangea Leaftier Moth, hydrangea leaftier
Olethreutes ferriferana, commonly known as the hydrangea leaftier moth, is a tortricid moth native to eastern North America. The species is notable for its association with hydrangea plants, as suggested by its common name. It was first described by Walker in 1863 under the basionym Sciaphila ferriferana. The species has been assigned MONA/Hodges number 2827 for North American moth classification.
Olethreutes permundana
Raspberry Leafroller Moth, Raspberry Leafroller
Olethreutes permundana, commonly known as the raspberry leafroller moth, is a small tortricid moth species described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860. The species is notable for its larval habit of tying leaves together on host plants. Adults have a wingspan of 17–22 mm. The species has been recorded across eastern North America with a broad host plant range including Rubus, Rosa, Fragaria, and numerous woody shrubs and trees.
Paralobesia liriodendrana
tulip-tree leaftier moth
Paralobesia liriodendrana, the tulip-tree leaftier moth, is a tortricid moth species described by Kearfott in 1904. The species is associated with tulip trees (Liriodendron), as indicated by its specific epithet. It belongs to the Olethreutinae subfamily within the diverse Tortricidae family, which includes many economically significant agricultural pests.
Pococera euphemella
Mesquite Leaf Tier Moth
Pococera euphemella is a moth species in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Epipaschiinae. It is commonly known as the Mesquite Leaf Tier Moth. The species was described by Hulst in 1888 and is classified under the genus Pococera, which includes several leaf-rolling or leaf-tying caterpillar species that feed on woody plants. As a member of Epipaschiinae, it belongs to a group of pyralid moths whose larvae typically construct shelters by tying or rolling leaves.
Polychrysia esmeralda
delphinium leaftier
Polychrysia esmeralda, commonly known as the delphinium leaftier, is a noctuid moth described by Charles Oberthür in 1880. The species name derives from Greek roots meaning "many" and "gold," referring to the adult's shining golden wing coloration. It occurs across northern North America and eastern Siberia, with larvae specializing on toxic Ranunculaceae host plants including monkshood and delphinium. The species is notable for its distinctive larval behavior of tying leaves together with silk and spinning a gold-colored cocoon within.
Prolita sexpunctella
six-spot groundling, long-horned flat-back, groundling
Prolita sexpunctella is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of 13–17 mm, found across Europe and North America. Adults are active during May and June and are diurnal. The species is notable for its distinctive wing pattern featuring five white fasciae on dark reddish-brown forewings. Larvae are leaf-tiers that feed on specific host plants including heather and mountain avens.
Psilocorsis
Psilocorsis is a genus of moths in the family Depressariidae, first described by Clemens in 1860. Species within this genus are known as leaf-tiers or leaf-tiers, with larvae that construct shelters by binding together leaves of their host plants. The genus contains approximately 14 recognized species distributed primarily in North America. Larvae are associated with woody plants including oaks (Quercus) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and serve as hosts for parasitoid wasp communities.
Psilocorsis cirrhoptera
Psilocorsis cirrhoptera is a small moth in the family Depressariidae, described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1961. It is known from Arizona, North America, where adults have been recorded in July. The species is one of several Psilocorsis moths whose leaf-tying caterpillars are hunted by mason wasps as prey. The wingspan is approximately 19 mm.
Psilocorsis cryptolechiella
Black-fringed Leaftier Moth, Black-fringed Psilocorsis Moth, Beech Leaftier
Psilocorsis cryptolechiella is a small moth in the family Depressariidae known for its distinctive larval behavior of tying leaves together to form shelters. The species is primarily associated with beech trees (Fagus species) and has been documented across the eastern and central United States. Adults are modest in appearance with a wingspan of approximately 16 mm. The larvae create characteristic leaf shelters by binding leaves together with silk, earning the species its common names.
Psilocorsis quercicella
oak leaftier moth, oak leaf-tying psilocorsis moth
Psilocorsis quercicella is a small moth in the family Depressariidae whose larvae construct leaf shelters by tying oak leaves together. The species is known from the eastern and central United States. Larvae skeletonize oak leaves and serve as prey for parasitoid wasps, including mason wasps in the genus Ancistrocerus. The moth has been observed to have a community of parasitoid species attacking its larval stage.
Psilocorsis reflexella
Dotted Leaftier Moth
Psilocorsis reflexella is a small moth in the family Depressariidae. Larvae are leaf-tiers that bind oak leaves together to form shelters. The species serves as prey for solitary wasps, particularly mason wasps in the genus Ancistrocerus. It occurs across eastern and central North America.
Rectiostoma fernaldella
Stenomid Oak Leaf Tier
A small moth in the family Depressariidae, described by Riley in 1889. Adults are active in shady oak habitats during midday and have a single annual generation in California. Larvae are specialized leaf tiers that construct distinctive frass-sealed shelters between two leaves.
Rhopobota naevana
holly tortrix moth, holly leaf tier, blackheaded fireworm
Rhopobota naevana is a small tortricid moth with a broad Palearctic distribution extending to North America. Adults fly in mid-summer and are characterized by grey forewings with complex dark markings and a metallic-edged ocellus. The species is economically significant as a pest of Vaccinium crops, particularly cranberries and blueberries, where larvae feed on foliage and fruit.
Strepsicrates smithiana
bayberry leaftier moth, Smith's strepsicrates moth
Strepsicrates smithiana is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 14–15 mm. It is native to southern North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, and was introduced to Hawaii in 1955 as a biological control agent. The species is notable for its leaf-tying larval behavior and specialized feeding on Myricaceae and Myrtaceae host plants.