Microlepidoptera
Guides
Cosmopterix
cosmet moths
Cosmopterix is a large genus of small moths in the family Cosmopterigidae, characterized by narrow lanceolate forewings with distinctive yellow or orange transverse fasciae bordered by metallic silver or golden tubercular scales. The genus is globally distributed with particularly high diversity in tropical and subtropical regions, including 77 recognized species in continental Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Larvae are leaf miners on diverse herbaceous plants including grasses, bamboos, and members of Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and other families.
Cosmopterix fernaldella
Fernald's Cosmopterix Moth
Cosmopterix fernaldella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, described by Walsingham in 1882. Adults have distinctive golden brown forewings with complex white line patterns and metallic greenish-gold spots. The species is known from the northeastern and north-central United States and parts of Canada. Larvae are leaf miners on Carex species.
Cosmopterix pulchrimella
Beautiful Cosmopterix Moth
Cosmopterix pulchrimella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, with a forewing length of 3.0–4.0 mm. It is distinguished by striking wing patterns including silver streaks, a bright orange transverse fascia, and metallic markings. The species has a transatlantic distribution, occurring in North America and across the Palearctic region. Larvae are leaf miners that feed on plants in the Urticaceae family.
Cosmopterix scirpicola
Cosmopterix scirpicola is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, described by Hodges in 1962. It is known from scattered localities across the United States, with flight periods varying by latitude. The species is associated with Scirpus host plants, on which larvae mine stems.
Cosmopterix teligera
Cosmopterix teligera is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, characterized by distinctive metallic markings on dark brown forewings. The species occurs from the southern United States through the Caribbean and into South America. Adults are active primarily during warmer months in temperate regions, with year-round activity likely in tropical areas.
Crambus youngellus
Young's Grass-veneer
Crambus youngellus, known as Young's Grass-veneer, is a small moth species in the family Crambidae. It was described by William D. Kearfott in 1908. The species is restricted to northeastern North America, with records from the northeastern United States and southern Ontario. As a member of the grass-veneer group, it likely shares ecological associations with grasses and sedges typical of the genus Crambus, though specific natural history details remain poorly documented.
Cremastobombycia ambrosiaeella
A minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae with a wingspan of 5.5–6.5 mm. The species is known from parts of Canada and the eastern and central United States. Larvae feed on several genera in the Asteraceae family, including Ambrosia, Helianthus, and Verbesina, forming mines in leaves.
Cremastobombycia solidaginis
Goldenrod Leafminer
Cremastobombycia solidaginis is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the Goldenrod Leafminer. The species is distributed across eastern North America from Ontario and Quebec south to Florida and Texas. Larvae feed internally in leaves of goldenrod (Solidago) species and Baccharis pilularis, creating characteristic mines. Adults are small with a wingspan of 7–9 mm.
Cycloplasis immaculata
A species of metalmark moth in the family Heliodinidae, described by Braun in 1940. Very little is known about its biology or ecology. The genus Cycloplasis is small and poorly studied, with most species known only from limited collection records.
Cydia bracteatana
Cydia bracteatana is a tortricid moth species described by Fernald in 1881. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which includes numerous economically significant orchard pests such as the codling moth (C. pomonella) and the filbertworm (C. latiferreana). Like other members of this genus, C. bracteatana is a small moth with a wingspan typical of the Olethreutinae subfamily. The species is part of the diverse North American tortricid fauna, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented compared to its better-known congenerics.
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candana
Cydia candana is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, first described by Forbes in 1923. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which contains numerous species of small moths, many of which are agricultural pests. The species is part of the subfamily Olethreutinae and tribe Grapholitini. Basic information about its biology, distribution, and ecology remains limited in available literature.
Cydia flexiloqua
Cydia flexiloqua is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, described by Heinrich in 1926. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which contains numerous economically significant pest species including the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and the filbertworm (Cydia latiferreana). The species has been recorded in Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and the United States (Vermont). Very little specific information is available about its biology, host associations, or economic importance.
Cydia inopiosa
Cydia inopiosa is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae, and tribe Grapholitini. The species was described by Heinrich in 1926, originally under the genus Laspeyresia. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which contains numerous economically important agricultural pests including the codling moth (C. pomonella) and filbertworm (C. latiferreana). Very few specific details about the biology, appearance, or ecology of C. inopiosa are documented in available sources.
Cydia laricana
Cydia laricana is a species of tortricid moth described by August Busck in 1916. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which contains numerous economically important agricultural pests including the codling moth (C. pomonella) and the filbertworm (C. latiferreana). The species is known from distribution records in the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont. Like other members of the genus, it is likely a small moth with the characteristic bell-shaped resting posture typical of tortricids.
Cydia marita
Cydia marita is a species of tortricid moth in the genus Cydia, described by Brown in 2014. It belongs to the subfamily Olethreutinae and tribe Grapholitini. As a recently described species, published literature on its biology and ecology remains limited. The genus Cydia includes numerous economically significant agricultural pests, though species-level information for C. marita specifically has not been documented in the available sources.
Cydia membrosa
Cydia membrosa is a small moth species in the family Tortricidae, originally described by Heinrich in 1926 under the basionym Laspeyresia membrosa. The species belongs to the genus Cydia, which includes several economically significant agricultural pests. As a member of the subfamily Olethreutinae and tribe Grapholitini, it shares morphological characteristics with other Cydia species that are often difficult to distinguish without detailed examination.
Cydia obnisa
Cydia obnisa is a species of tortricid moth described by Heinrich in 1926. It belongs to the genus Cydia, which includes numerous economically significant agricultural pests such as the codling moth and filbertworm. The species is classified within the subfamily Olethreutinae and tribe Grapholitini. Available information about this species is extremely limited, with only three documented observations on iNaturalist and no published biological studies or host records identified in the provided sources.
Cydia prosperana
Cydia prosperana is a small tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae. First described by Kearfott in 1907 as Enarmonia prosperana, it belongs to the large genus Cydia, which contains numerous agricultural pest species including the codling moth (C. pomonella) and filbertworm (C. latiferreana). The species is known from limited records in North America.
Cydia timara
Cydia timara is a species of tortricid moth described by Brown in 2014. It belongs to the genus Cydia, a group that includes several economically significant agricultural pests such as the codling moth (C. pomonella) and the filbertworm (C. latiferreana). As a recently described species, detailed biological and ecological information remains limited.
Daulia arizonensis
Daulia arizonensis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1957. The species has a wingspan of approximately 18 mm. It exhibits a disjunct distribution pattern, occurring in the southwestern United States (Arizona and Texas) and extending southward through Mexico to Argentina.
Denisia
Denisia is a genus of concealer moths in the family Oecophoridae, subfamily Oecophorinae. Originally described as a subgenus of Borkhausenia by Hübner in 1825, it has since been elevated to generic rank. The genus contains approximately 20 described species distributed primarily across the Holarctic region, with records from Europe, Asia, and North America.
Deoclona yuccasella
Deoclona yuccasella is a small moth in the family Autostichidae, described by August Busck in 1903. It is known from California in western North America. The species has an intimate ecological relationship with Yucca whipplei, using the plant's dry seed pods for larval development and pupation.
Depressariidae
Flat-bodied moths
Depressariidae is a family of moths comprising approximately 2,300 species worldwide. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Gelechiidae, it is now recognized as a distinct family within the superfamily Gelechioidea. The family includes ten subfamilies: Acriinae, Aeolanthinae, Cryptolechiinae, Depressariinae, Ethmiinae, Hypercalliinae, Hypertrophinae, Oditinae, Peleopodinae, and Stenomatinae. Several genera, including Carcina, Gonionota, Machimia, Himmacia, and Psilocorsis, remain unplaced within the subfamily structure. Members of this family exhibit diverse larval feeding habits, with many species specialized on particular plant families.
Dichomeris
Dichomeris is a large genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, erected by Jacob Hübner in 1818. The genus contains hundreds of species distributed globally, with particularly high diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. Larvae of many species are leaf-folders, constructing silk shelters on host plants for protection while feeding. Some species are economically significant agricultural pests, including D. famulata, which infests sorghum panicles in South America.
Dichomeris delotella
Dichomeris delotella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1909. It occurs in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Adults are active from spring through early autumn, with phenology varying by region.
Dichomeris glenni
Glenn's Dichomeris Moth
Dichomeris glenni is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by John Frederick Gates Clarke in 1947. It is known from scattered records across central and eastern North America, from Ontario south to Florida and west to Kansas and Oklahoma. The species is one of many in the large genus Dichomeris, which contains hundreds of small, often poorly known moths.
Dichomeris inserrata
Indented Dichomeris Moth
Dichomeris inserrata, commonly known as the Indented Dichomeris Moth, is a small gelechiid moth native to the United States. Adults are characterized by a wingspan of 5.4–8.3 mm. The species is associated with goldenrod as a larval host plant. It has been documented across multiple eastern and central U.S. states.
Dichomeris siren
Least Dichomeris Moth
Dichomeris siren is a small gelechiid moth described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1986. It is known from the eastern United States, with records spanning from the Mid-Atlantic through the Southeast and into the Midwest. The species is characterized by its diminutive size, with forewing lengths of 3.1–3.8 mm. Adults are active from late spring through early autumn.
Dichomeris stipendiaria
A small gelechiid moth described by Annette Frances Braun in 1925. Adults have a wingspan of 17–18 mm and are active in mid-summer. Larvae feed on several genera of Asteraceae, including goldenrods and fleabanes. The species is restricted to western North America.
Dichrorampha broui
Dichrorampha broui is a species of tortricid moth described by Knudson in 1987. It belongs to the genus Dichrorampha, a group of leaf-roller moths within the family Tortricidae. The species is part of the diverse Lepidoptera fauna, with limited published information available regarding its specific biology and distribution. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with herbaceous host plants.
Diploschizia
sedge moths
Diploschizia is a genus of sedge moths in the family Glyphipterigidae. It was established by John B. Heppner in 1981. Most modern taxonomic treatments consider Diploschizia to be a synonym of Glyphipterix. The genus includes approximately twelve described species, such as D. impigritella (Yellow Nutsedge Moth), a tiny moth measuring only 4 mm in length. Species in this group are typically small and associated with sedges or related plants.
Diploschizia impigritella
yellow nutsedge moth, five-barred glyphipterid moth
A minute sedge moth with a wingspan of 7–9 mm, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1862. Adults are active from early May to early November across much of North America. The larvae are stem borers in yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), making this species a potential biocontrol agent against this agricultural weed.
Diploschizia lanista
sedge moth
Diploschizia lanista is a species of sedge moth in the family Glyphipterigidae. First described by Edward Meyrick in 1918, this small moth is known from the southeastern and south-central United States. Adults are active during multiple periods throughout the year, with flight records spanning January through December in some regions. The species is characterized by its diminutive size and relatively narrow forewings.
Diploschizia minimella
Diploschizia minimella is a minute sedge moth described from Florida in 1981. It is among the smallest members of its genus, with forewings measuring 2.2–2.9 mm. The species exhibits a bimodal adult flight period, appearing in spring and again in midsummer. It is currently known only from the US state of Florida.
Doleromorpha
Doleromorpha is a genus of small moths in the family Meessiidae, established by Braun in 1930. Species in this genus are part of the diverse Tineoidea superfamily, which includes many microlepidoptera associated with detritus and decaying organic matter. The genus is relatively poorly known, with limited published biological information.
Ectoedemia
Ectoedemia is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, established by August Busck in 1907. The genus comprises four subgenera: Ectoedemia, Etainia, Fomoria, and Zimmermannia. Species are distributed across multiple continents including Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. The genus is notable for its leaf-mining larval ecology, with many species exhibiting narrow host plant specificity on trees and shrubs.
Nepticulidaemicrolepidopteraleaf-minerbark-minerhost-specificityparthenogenesisE.-argyropezaFagaceaeBetulaceaeQuercusspeciationsympatric-speciationphylogenomicsddRADclonal-diversitygall-inductioncecidian-stagesedentary-dispersalHolarctic-distributionGondwanan-distributionsubgenera:-Ectoedemia,-Etainia,-Fomoria,-ZimmermanniaEctoedemia argyropeza
Virgin Pigmy
A Holarctic microlepidopteran in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by parthenogenetic reproduction with extremely rare males. Adults are active in late spring. Larvae are leaf miners on aspen species, producing distinctive mines that persist on host leaves. The species exhibits clonal population structure with limited dispersal capacity.
Ectoedemia clemensella
Ectoedemia clemensella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by its extremely small size and leaf-mining larval habit. It is known from a restricted range in the eastern United States. The species completes three generations annually and is tightly associated with American sycamore as its sole documented host plant.
Ectoedemia platanella
sycamore leaf blotch miner
Ectoedemia platanella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as the sycamore leaf blotch miner. It is restricted to the eastern United States, where its larvae create distinctive blotch mines in leaves of Platanus species. The species is highly host-specific and represents one of many specialized leaf-mining moths in this diverse family.
Ectoedemia populella
Poplar Petiole Gall Moth, Aspen Petiole Gall Moth
A minute North American moth in the family Nepticulidae. Larvae induce distinctive globular galls on the petioles of Populus species. Adults are active in spring following larval overwintering in galls. The species is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains.
Ectoedemia quadrinotata
Ectoedemia quadrinotata is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, first described by Annette Frances Braun in 1917. It occurs in the eastern United States and Canada, with records from Ohio, Kentucky, Vermont, and the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. The species is notable for its larval leaf-mining behavior on specific host plants.
Ectoedemia similella
Broken-banded Ectoedemia Moth
Ectoedemia similella is a minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, commonly known as the Broken-banded Ectoedemia Moth. It is native to eastern North America, with confirmed records from Ohio and Kentucky. The species has a wingspan of only 5–6 mm. Its larvae are leaf miners that feed exclusively on pin oak (Quercus palustris).
Ectoedemia trinotata
A minute Nepticulidae moth of eastern North America with a wingspan of 4.5–5 mm. Larvae are leaf miners on hickory species (Carya cordiformis and C. ovata). Two generations occur annually, with larval mines appearing in early July and early September.
Edia semiluna
A small crambid moth described by John Bernhardt Smith in 1905. Forewings measure 8–10 mm in length. Adults have been recorded in May, August, and October. The species occurs in southern Arizona and Mexico.
Elachista
grass-miner moths, typical grass miner moths
Elachista is a large genus of very small gelechioid moths, the type genus of the family Elachistidae. These grass-miner moths are characterized by reduced, "feathery" hindwings and typically display one to three light transverse bands on the forewing uppersides. The genus has a near-cosmopolitan distribution, being absent only from very cold regions and some oceanic islands, with highest diversity in the Palearctic. Taxonomic complexity includes numerous undescribed species, cryptic species complexes, and disputed subgeneric classifications.
Elachista acenteta
Elachista acenteta is a small moth in the family Elachistidae, described by Braun in 1948. It is known from scattered localities in eastern and central North America. The species is characterized by its diminutive size, with forewings measuring 4.5–6.2 mm. Like other members of its genus, it likely has a concealed lifestyle associated with grasses or sedges.
Elachista adianta
Elachista adianta is a small moth in the family Elachistidae, described by Kaila in 1997. It is endemic to Colorado, United States, and is known from extremely limited observations. The species belongs to a large genus of grass-mining microlepidoptera.
Elachista albidella
cottongrass sedge-miner
Elachista albidella is a small microlepidopteran moth in the family Elachistidae, described by William Nylander in 1848. It has a wingspan of 9–10 mm and is characterized by white forewings with distinctive fuscous markings and a large black plical stigma. The species is widely distributed across Europe and also occurs in North America. Larvae are specialized miners of sedges and grasses in wetland habitats.
Elachista galadella
Elachista galadella is a small moth species in the family Elachistidae, described by Kaila in 1999. It is known only from a single U.S. state, Washington, with no published records of its biology or ecology. Like other members of its genus, it likely has a narrow host plant association, though this remains undocumented for this species. The species exemplifies the poorly known microlepidopteran fauna of the Pacific Northwest.
Elachista glenni
Elachista glenni is a small moth in the family Elachistidae, described by Kaila in 1996. It is known from limited records in the United States, specifically Illinois and Florida. As a member of the genus Elachista, it belongs to a large group of microlepidoptera commonly known as grass-miner moths, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.