Microlepidoptera
Guides
Stigmella betulicola
Stigmella betulicola is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, with a wingspan of 3.4–4.6 mm. It is widely distributed across Europe and extends eastward into the Palearctic realm. The species produces two generations annually, with adults active in May and August. Larvae are specialized miners of birch leaves, feeding on several Betula species. Identification from similar Stigmella species requires examination of genitalia under microscopy.
Stigmella braunella
Catalina Cherry Leaf Miner
Stigmella braunella is a micro-moth in the family Nepticulidae, endemic to California. First described by W.W. Jones in 1933, this species has a wingspan of 5.4–6.6 mm and completes two generations per year. The larvae are leaf miners on Prunus ilicifolia (Catalina cherry), feeding within the leaves of this host plant.
Stigmella caryaefoliella
hickory leafminer
Stigmella caryaefoliella is a pygmy leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, native to North America. The species is a specialist herbivore whose larvae feed on hickory (Carya) leaves, creating distinctive serpentine mines. Adults are minute, typically measuring only 2–5 mm in wingspan, with reduced mouthparts. The species was originally described as Nepticula caryaefoliella by Clemens in 1861 and later transferred to Stigmella.
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.
Stigmella corylifoliella
Stigmella corylifoliella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1861. The species has a wingspan of approximately 3.5 mm and is distributed across much of North America, from the eastern United States to the Pacific coast and southern Canada. Its larvae are leaf miners that feed on a diverse array of host plants.
Stigmella intermedia
pygmy leaf-mining moth
Stigmella intermedia is a minute pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by a wingspan of only 3–3.5 mm. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ontario, and Vermont. It is a specialist leafminer whose larvae feed on sumac species (Rhus typhina and Rhus aromatica), creating distinctive linear mines with broad blackish frass lines. The species typically produces two generations per year, with larvae maturing in July and overwintering, though occasionally a third generation occurs.
Stigmella juglandifoliella
Pecan serpentine leafminer
Stigmella juglandifoliella is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as the pecan serpentine leafminer. The species is a specialist herbivore whose larvae create serpentine mines in the leaves of pecan (Carya illinoinensis). It is currently known from a restricted range in the eastern United States.
Stigmella lapponica
Stigmella lapponica is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, described by Maximilian Ferdinand Wocke in 1862 from northern Norway. The species is notable for its leaf-mining larvae that feed exclusively on birch leaves, creating distinctive slender galleries. Adults are active in May with a single generation per year, though partial second broods have been suggested. The moth occurs across the Holarctic region, including Europe, Asia, and North America.
Stigmella longisacca
Stigmella longisacca is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, first described in 1982. It is endemic to California, where its larvae are leaf miners on Juglans species, particularly Juglans californica. The species has a wingspan of 3.2–4.4 mm and appears to have two to three generations per year.
Stigmella microtheriella
Hazel leaf miner moth, Hazel Leafminer Moth
Stigmella microtheriella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, with a wingspan of only 3–4 mm. The species is native to Europe and Asia, and was introduced to New Zealand from Britain between 1850 and 1860, likely via imported hazel trees. Its larvae create distinctive narrow, angular mines in the leaves of hazel (Corylus species) and hornbeams (Carpinus species). Adults are parthenogenetic and fly in May and August.
Stigmella nigriverticella
Stigmella nigriverticella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by a wingspan of 4.4–5.2 mm. It occurs in the eastern and central United States, with records from Texas, Ohio, New York, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The species likely produces three generations annually. Specimens have been collected on wild cherry (Prunus), though host plant confirmation remains incomplete.
Stigmella populetorum
Stigmella populetorum is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, with a wingspan of approximately 5 mm. It occurs across North America from Texas and Ohio to California, with additional records in Ontario and British Columbia. The species completes two to three generations annually, with adults active from late June through September and larval activity observed in mid-June and August.
Stigmella quercipulchella
Stigmella quercipulchella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae. The species is a leaf miner whose larvae feed on oak species (Quercus), creating distinctive tunnels within leaves. It occurs in the eastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. The species has two generations per year.
Stigmella resplendensella
Stigmella resplendensella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae. It has been recorded from Kentucky in North America. The species has a wingspan of approximately 6 mm. Larvae feed on Celtis occidentalis (common hackberry), creating mines in the leaves.
Stigmella rhoifoliella
Stigmella rhoifoliella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, native to the eastern United States. The species is notable for its extremely small size and specialized larval feeding behavior on poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). It produces distinctive serpentine leaf mines on its host plant. The moth has a multivoltine life cycle with two to three generations annually, with adult flight periods concentrated in June and August.
Stigmella saginella
Stigmella saginella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as pygmy moths or microlepidoptera. The species is native to North America and has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning the eastern United States, parts of the Midwest, California, and southeastern Canada. Larvae are leaf miners that feed exclusively on oak species (Quercus), creating distinctive tunnels within leaf tissue.
Stigmella sclerostylota
A pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, Stigmella sclerostylota is a leaf-mining species known from limited records in North America. The species was described in 1982 and has been documented in Arkansas and Ontario. As with other Stigmella species, the larvae feed internally on leaf tissue, creating distinctive mines.
Stigmella slingerlandella
Slingerland's Plum Leafminer Moth, Plum Leaf Miner
Stigmella slingerlandella is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as the plum leaf miner. The species was described by Kearfott in 1908 and named in honor of Mark Vernon Slingerland. It is a specialist leafminer on Prunus species, with larvae creating distinctive mines that begin as narrow linear tunnels before expanding into irregular blotches. The species occurs in eastern North America, where it can be a minor pest of plum and cherry cultivation.
Stigmella variella
Stigmella variella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by its small size and leaf-mining larval habit. The species is known from California and Arizona, where larvae feed on three oak species. Adults have a wingspan of 5.5–7.5 mm. Two to three generations occur annually in California, with active leaf mines present from July to early September and February to April.
Stigmella villosella
Stigmella villosella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, first described by Clemens in 1861. It is one of the smallest moth species in North America, with adults measuring only 2.8–4.6 mm in wingspan. The species is known from a limited distribution in the eastern and south-central United States.
Tanygona
Tanygona is a monotypic genus of microlepidopteran moths in the family Cosmopterigidae, containing the single species Tanygona lignicolorella. The genus was established by Braun in 1923. Adults are small with a wingspan of approximately 8 mm.
Telamoptilia
Telamoptilia is a genus of small moths in the family Gracillariidae, established by Kumata & Kuroko in 1988. The genus name derives from Greek 'telamon' (belt) and 'ptilia' (small wing), likely referring to wing pattern or structure. It contains six described species distributed across Africa and Asia, with some species known as leaf miners on specific host plants.
Telphusa
Telphusa is a genus of moths in the family Gelechiidae, established by Chambers in 1872. The genus contains approximately 60 described species distributed across multiple continents. Species in this genus are small moths, typical of the Gelechiidae family, with most being poorly studied beyond original descriptions. The genus is taxonomically stable within the subfamily Gelechiinae and tribe Litini.
Theisoa
Theisoa is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Chambers in 1874. It belongs to the subfamily Aristoteliinae, a group of gelechiid moths characterized by relatively narrow wings and often subtle patterning. Species within this genus are part of the diverse microlepidoptera fauna of North America, with records from the northeastern United States including Vermont.
Tinagma gigantea
Tinagma gigantea is a small moth in the family Douglasiidae, described by Braun in 1921. It is known from dry meadow habitats in western North America, with records from Alberta, Canada and Montana, United States. The species is rarely encountered, with only two observations documented in iNaturalist.
Tortricidae
tortrix moths, leafroller moths, tortricid moths
Tortricidae is a large family of small moths with over 11,000 described species, constituting the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea. Members are commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths due to the larval behavior of rolling leaves to form shelters. The family includes numerous economically significant agricultural and forestry pests, notably the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and spruce budworm (Choristoneura species). The typical resting posture features wings folded back, creating a rounded profile.
Trichoptilus pygmaeus
Pygmy Plume Moth
Trichoptilus pygmaeus is a minute plume moth (family Pterophoridae) with a wingspan of approximately 10 mm. It is one of the smallest members of its family in North America. The species exhibits the characteristic divided wings of plume moths, with forewings split into two lobes. Larvae feed on specific host plants including Chrysopsis scabrella and Arctostaphylos columbiana, consuming young leaves and bracts of unopened flowers.
Tsinilla lineana
Tsinilla lineana is a species of tortricid moth described by Fernald in 1901. It belongs to the subfamily Olethreutinae, a group of small to medium-sized moths commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths. The genus Tsinilla is a small, poorly documented group within the diverse Tortricidae family. Based on iNaturalist records, this species has been observed only a handful of times, indicating it is either genuinely rare, cryptic, or underreported.
Untomia
Untomia is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, subfamily Anacampsinae. The genus was established by Busck in 1906 and contains nine described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Species exhibit variation in wing pattern, with some featuring distinctive longitudinal stripes or maculation. The genus is part of the diverse gelechioid radiation, though individual species remain poorly documented in terms of biology and ecology.
Walshia
Walshia is a genus of small moths in the family Cosmopterigidae, established by Clemens in 1864. The genus contains at least 12 described species distributed in North America. At least one species, W. amorphella, is known to induce galls on its host plant, creating complex ecological microcommunities. Most species remain poorly studied beyond basic taxonomic descriptions.
Walshia amorphella
Walshia amorphella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1864. It is a gall-forming species that induces galls on the host plant Amorpha fruticosa. The species is known from the central United States, with records from Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Kansas, and Texas. Its gall-forming habit supports an associated microcommunity of other organisms.
Walshia floridensis
Walshia floridensis is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1978. It is endemic to Florida, with adults active during the winter months. The species is notable for its specific association with the legume Petalostemon pinnatum as a larval host plant.
Zelleria
Zelleria is a genus of micro-moths in the family Yponomeutidae, comprising approximately 60 described species distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus was established by Stainton in 1849. Species vary in host plant associations, with some specializing on ash (Fraxinus), pine (Pinus), or other woody plants. Larval habits include leaf mining and needle-sheath mining in conifers.
Zelleria ochroplagiata
Zelleria ochroplagiata is a small moth species in the family Yponomeutidae (ermine moths), described by Braun in 1918. The genus Zelleria comprises numerous small, often poorly known species, many of which are associated with specific host plants. This species is known from a limited number of observations and collections, primarily in North America. Like other Yponomeutidae, it likely has a concealed larval stage and adult moths with characteristic narrow wings.
Zimmermannia
Zimmermannia is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, established by Hering in 1940. The genus is distributed in the Western Palaearctic region and contains nine recognized species. Species are characterized by leaf-mining and bark-mining larval habits. The genus was historically treated as a subgenus of Ectoedemia but is now recognized as distinct.
Zimmermannia obrutella
Zimmermannia obrutella is a species of microlepidopteran moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as pygmy moths or midget moths. Originally described as Trifurcula obrutella by Zeller in 1873, it was later transferred to the genus Zimmermannia. Like other nepticulids, it is extremely small with adults typically measuring only a few millimeters in wingspan. The genus Zimmermannia contains leaf-mining species whose larvae feed internally within plant tissues.