Microlepidoptera
Guides
Caloptilia hypericella
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae with a wingspan of approximately 8 mm. The species is specialized on Hypericum (St. John's wort) host plants, with larvae creating blotch mines in leaves. It occurs in eastern North America from Québec to the Ohio River Valley.
Caloptilia invariabilis
Cherry Leaf-cone Caterpillar Moth
Caloptilia invariabilis is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the cherry leaf-cone caterpillar moth. The species has a wingspan of approximately 15 mm. Its larvae are leaf miners that feed on several Prunus species, creating distinctive mines that begin as linear tracks and terminate in small underside blotches. The species is known from scattered localities in Canada and the United States.
Caloptilia negundella
Boxelder Leafroller Moth, boxelder leafroller
Caloptilia negundella is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the boxelder leafroller moth. The species was first described by V.T. Chambers in 1876. It is attracted to ultraviolet light sources and has been documented at moth lighting events in Colorado.
Caloptilia packardella
Caloptilia packardella is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. The species is known from Quebec, Canada, and several northeastern and midwestern U.S. states. Its larvae feed on maple species (Acer), creating blotch mines in leaves.
Caloptilia stigmatella
Willow Leafcone Caterpillar Moth
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae with a wingspan of 12–14 mm. Adults display distinctive red-brown forewings with a triangular white median costal blotch marked with blackish dots, and grey hindwings. The species has two adult flight periods annually and larvae feed on leaves of willows, poplars, and bog myrtle. It occurs across the Holarctic region, excluding the Balkan Peninsula.
Caloptilia strictella
Caloptilia strictella is a species of microlepidopteran moth in the family Gracillariidae. It is known from scattered records across northern and eastern North America, including the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Québec, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories, as well as Maine in the United States. Like other members of its genus, it is likely a leaf-mining species, though specific host plant associations remain undocumented.
Caloptilia suberinella
Caloptilia suberinella is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae, first described by Tengström in 1848. The species has a Palearctic distribution across northern and central Europe, extending eastward through Russia to China, with a recent confirmed record from British Columbia in North America. Like other members of its genus, it likely has leaf-mining larvae, though specific host plant associations for this species remain undocumented. Adults are nocturnal and have been observed at ultraviolet light sources.
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Witch-hazel Caloptilia
Caloptilia superbifrontella is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the Witch-hazel Caloptilia. The species is restricted to eastern North America, with records from Canada (Québec and Nova Scotia) and the eastern and central United States. Larvae are leaf miners that feed exclusively on Hamamelis species, including witch-hazel and related shrubs.
Caloptilia undescribed-nr-umbratella
An undescribed species in the genus Caloptilia, closely related to C. umbratella. Like other Caloptilia species, it is a leaf blotch miner moth whose larvae create distinctive feeding patterns on host plant leaves. The species remains taxonomically unresolved pending formal description.
Caloptilia undescribed-rhus
An undescribed species in the genus Caloptilia, recognized as a leaf blotch miner moth associated with Rhus (sumac) host plants. As a member of the Gracillariidae family, it exhibits the characteristic larval behavior of creating blotch mines within leaf tissue. The species remains formally undescribed in scientific literature, known primarily from observations and informal documentation.
Caloptilia violacella
Tick-Trefoil Caloptilia Moth
Caloptilia violacella is a small gracillariid moth with a wingspan of approximately 10 mm. The species is distributed across the eastern and central United States, with records from Illinois, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New York, and Texas. Larvae are leaf miners that feed on leguminous host plants including pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), tick-trefoils (Desmodium species), and Meibomia dillenii. The common name "Tick-Trefoil Caloptilia Moth" reflects its association with Desmodium host plants.
Calosima
Calosima is a genus of gelechioid moths in the family Blastobasidae, established by Dietz in 1910. The genus belongs to the diverse superfamily Gelechioidea, which contains numerous small moth species often characterized by narrow wings and cryptic coloration. As a blastobasid genus, Calosima species are likely small to minute in size with relatively inconspicuous appearance. The genus has been documented in various regions with 186 iNaturalist observations recorded.
Cameraria aceriella
maple leafblotch miner
Cameraria aceriella, the maple leafblotch miner, is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae. It is a leaf-mining species whose larvae create distinctive blotches on maple leaves. The species was first described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859 and is primarily found in northeastern North America.
Cameraria bethunella
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, native to eastern North America. Larvae create mines in leaves of chestnut and oak species. Adults are tiny with wingspans under 8 mm. The species was originally described by Chambers in 1871.
Cameraria caryaefoliella
Pecan Leafminer Moth
Cameraria caryaefoliella is a microlepidopteran leafminer moth in the family Gracillariidae. The species is known from eastern North America, with records from Ontario and Quebec in Canada and multiple states across the eastern and central United States. Larvae feed internally within leaf tissue, creating characteristic mines. Adults are active across multiple generations annually.
Cameraria conglomeratella
Conglomerate Oak Leafminer Moth
A small moth in the family Gracillariidae with a wingspan of 7.5–9 mm. The larvae are leaf miners on Quercus species. Recorded from ten U.S. states.
Cameraria fasciella
Cameraria fasciella is a micro-moth in the family Gracillariidae, known only from Kentucky and Ohio in the United States. Adults have a wingspan of 6–7 mm. The larvae are leaf miners that feed on Quercus species, specifically documented on Quercus tinctoria and Quercus velutina, creating irregular yellowish blotch mines on the upper surface of leaves.
Cameraria fletcherella
Cameraria fletcherella is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. Adults have a wingspan of 8.5–9 mm. The species is known from limited localities in northeastern North America. Larvae are specialized feeders on oak leaves, creating internal mines in foliage.
Cameraria guttifinitella
Poison Ivy Leaf-miner Moth
A small North American leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, with a wingspan of approximately 7 mm. Larvae are specialized feeders on poison ivy and poison oak (Toxicodendron species), creating characteristic mines within leaves. Females exhibit low leaf selectivity prior to oviposition, accepting 78% of available leaves but actually ovipositing on only 2%. The species maintains low population densities compared to congener Cameraria ohridella, attributed to more effective top-down control by parasitoids.
Cameraria hamameliella
Witchhazel Leafminer
Cameraria hamameliella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, first described by August Busck in 1903. The species is narrowly associated with witchhazel (Hamamelis) as its larval host, with larvae creating distinctive mines within leaves. It occurs throughout eastern North America, where it is the primary leafminer documented on native Hamamelis virginiana.
Cameraria mediodorsella
Cameraria mediodorsella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. It is endemic to California, where larvae feed on several oak (Quercus) species. The species was described by Braun in 1908.
Cameraria saccharella
Sugar Maple Blotchminer
Cameraria saccharella is a microlepidopteran in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the Sugar Maple Blotchminer. The species has a wingspan of 5–7 mm and is restricted to eastern North America. Its larvae are specialized leaf miners that feed exclusively on Acer species, particularly sugar maple and related maples.
Caudellia nigrella
snout moth
Caudellia nigrella is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, described by George Duryea Hulst in 1890. It is one of approximately 1,500 species in the subfamily Phycitinae, a diverse group of small moths often associated with dried plant materials. The species occurs in western North America, with records from the southwestern United States and extending northward into Canada.
Cedestis
Cedestis is a genus of small moths in the family Yponomeutidae, first described by Zeller in 1839. The genus currently contains seven described species distributed across Europe and Asia, including recently described taxa from Spain and China. Species within this genus are distinguished primarily by genital morphology and DNA barcoding data rather than external appearance. The immature stages and host associations remain unknown for most species.
Cemiostominae
Cemiostominae is a subfamily of small moths within the family Lyonetiidae, first described by Spuler in 1898. The group belongs to the superfamily Yponomeutoidea, a lineage of microlepidoptera that includes many leaf-mining species. The subfamily contains genera such as Cemiostoma and Phrixe, though precise boundaries and included taxa have undergone revision. Members are characterized by reduced wing venation and distinctive larval habits.
Chilocampyla dyariella
Chilocampyla dyariella is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, endemic to Florida, United States. The species has a wingspan of 7–8.5 mm. Its larvae are specialized miners on Eugenia species (Myrtaceae), creating distinctive bladder-like blotch mines on leaves. The species was described by August Busck in 1900.
Chionodes
Chionodes is a large, globally distributed genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae. The genus comprises over 150 described species, many of which are grouped into species complexes based on morphological similarities and host associations. Larvae of numerous species are associated with coniferous trees, particularly Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), though host plant relationships vary considerably across the genus. The Nearctic obscurusella species-group includes species feeding on Acer, Quercus, and Salix.
Chionodes canor
Chionodes canor is a moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Hodges in 1999. The species is known only from Arizona in the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is a small gelechiid moth, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Chionodes chrysopyla
Chionodes chrysopyla is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of 11–13 mm, found in western North America. The species is distinguished by its patterned forewings featuring blackish markings on a whitish-ochreous ground color. Larvae are specialized feeders on several oak species (Quercus), particularly in California and adjacent regions.
Chionodes landryi
Chionodes landryi is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Hodges in 1999. It is known from a limited number of records in western North America, specifically from Alberta, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The species belongs to a large genus of gelechiid moths, many of which are poorly known biologically.
Chionodes meddix
Chionodes meddix is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1999. The species is known from arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States. As with many Chionodes species, detailed biological information remains limited.
Chionodes naevus
Chionodes naevus is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Hodges in 1999. The species is known from a limited number of records in the southwestern United States. Very little biological information has been published for this species.
Chionodes phalacra
Chionodes phalacra is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of approximately 9 mm. It is characterized by dark fuscous forewings marked with distinctive pale cream-colored spots and streaks. The species has been recorded from Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and Cuba.
Chionodes repertor
Chionodes repertor is a species of small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Hodges in 1999. It is known only from Arizona in the southwestern United States. As a member of the large genus Chionodes, it belongs to a group of gelechiid moths whose larvae are often associated with plant material, though specific biological details for this species remain unreported.
Clepsis fucana
Clepsis fucana is a species of leafroller moth in the family Tortricidae, distributed along the Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia to California. The species is characterized by forewings measuring 6.4–10.6 mm in length. As a member of the genus Clepsis, it shares the typical tortricid resting posture with wings held roof-like over the body.
Coleophora monardae
casebearer moth
Coleophora monardae is a small moth species in the family Coleophoridae, commonly known as a casebearer moth. It was described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1945. The species is known only from Canada, with records from Ontario. Like other Coleophora species, larvae construct portable cases from silk and plant material.
Coleophora polemoniella
Coleophora polemoniella is a case-bearing moth species in the family Coleophoridae, described by Braun in 1919. The species is known from the United States, with confirmed records from Ohio. Its larvae are specialized herbivores that feed on leaves of Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans) and construct distinctive silken cases.
Coleotechnites albicostata
white-edged coleotechnites moth
Coleotechnites albicostata, commonly known as the white-edged coleotechnites moth, is a small gelechiid moth described by Freeman in 1965. It is one of numerous small, often poorly known species in the genus Coleotechnites, a group of moths frequently associated with coniferous hosts. The species is documented from scattered localities in eastern North America.
Coleotechnites coniferella
Conifer Needleminer
Coleotechnites coniferella is a small gelechiid moth with a wingspan of approximately 9 mm. The species is distributed across North America, with records from California to the northeastern United States and Canada. Larvae are known to feed on Pinus species, earning the common name Conifer Needleminer.
Coleotechnites milleri
Lodgepole Needleminer
Coleotechnites milleri, commonly known as the lodgepole needleminer, is a small gelechiid moth native to western North America. The species was described by August Busck in 1914 and is characterized by its distinctive black-and-white forewing pattern with raised scale tufts. The common name suggests an association with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), though specific host relationships require confirmation. The moth has a documented wingspan of 12–15 mm.
Coptodisca cercocarpella
curl-leaf mountain mahogany leafminer
Coptodisca cercocarpella is a small moth in the family Heliozelidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1925. It is known as the curl-leaf mountain mahogany leafminer, indicating its association with mountain mahogany plants (Cercocarpus). The species occurs in western North America, with records from Arizona, California, Utah, and Colorado. As a leafminer, its larvae feed within leaf tissue, creating distinctive feeding patterns.
Coptodisca diospyriella
Coptodisca diospyriella is a small moth in the family Heliozelidae, described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1874. The species is known for its specialized leaf-mining larvae that feed on Diospyros species. It occurs in eastern North America.
Coptodisca matheri
A minute moth in the family Heliozelidae, described from Mississippi in 1974. Adults have strikingly bicolored forewings with silvery white bases and pale yellow tips. The larvae are leaf miners on sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum), creating distinctive serpentine mines that widen into blotches.
Coptodisca ostryaefoliella
Coptodisca ostryaefoliella is a small moth in the family Heliozelidae, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1861. It belongs to a genus whose larvae are leaf miners, creating distinctive blotch mines on host plant foliage. The species is found in North America, with records from Ohio and surrounding regions.
Coptodisca sp. (Conocarpus erectus)
An undescribed species of Coptodisca (family Heliozelidae) that develops as a leaf miner on Conocarpus erectus (button mangrove). The species remains formally unnamed but has been documented from field collections. Heliozelid moths in this genus are characteristically small, with larvae that create distinctive blotch or serpentine mines in host leaves. This species represents part of the poorly known Neotropical heliozelid fauna associated with coastal mangrove vegetation.
Coptotriche aenea
Blackberry Leafminer Moth
Coptotriche aenea is a small moth in the family Tischeriidae, commonly known as the Blackberry Leafminer Moth. The species is known for its larval habit of mining leaves of Rubus species, particularly blackberries. It is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, with records from Canada through the eastern United States to Texas and Oklahoma.
Coptotriche agrimoniella
Coptotriche agrimoniella is a species of moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by Braun in 1972. The species is known from the eastern United States, where its larvae create leaf mines on two species of Agrimonia (A. parviflora and A. rostellata). As a member of Tischeriidae, it belongs to a small family of moths whose larvae are specialized leaf miners.
Coptotriche consanguinea
Coptotriche consanguinea is a leaf-mining moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1972. It is known only from California, where its larvae create mines in the leaves of several oak species (Quercus). The species is one of relatively few documented members of its genus in western North America.
Coptotriche mediostriata
Coptotriche mediostriata is a species of moth in the family Tischeriidae, first described by Braun in 1927. The species is known from a limited number of observations across the western United States. Tischeriidae moths are commonly known as trumpet leaf miner moths, with larvae that create distinctive mines in leaves.
Cosmopteriginae
Cosmopteriginae is a subfamily of small moths within the family Cosmopterigidae. Members are characterized by narrow wings and minute size. Larvae of many species are internal feeders on plant tissues. The subfamily is most diverse in the Australian and Pacific regions.