Mining-moth
Guides
Antispila freemani
Antispila freemani is a small moth in the family Heliozelidae, described by J. Donald Lafontaine in 1973. It is native to North America, with records from Ontario, British Columbia, and Vermont. The larvae are leaf miners that feed specifically on Cornus canadensis (bunchberry).
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.
Coptodisca undescribed-species-on-morella
An undescribed species of shield-bearer moth in the family Heliozelidae, known from larvae mining leaves of Morella species (bayberries). The genus Coptodisca contains small moths whose larvae are leaf miners, creating distinctive disc-shaped or blotch mines on host plants. This species has been documented but not formally described in scientific literature.
Coptotriche zelleriella
Coptotriche zelleriella is a small moth in the family Tischeriidae, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859. The species occurs across eastern North America, from Ontario and Quebec south to Florida and west to Texas and Missouri. Its larvae are leaf miners that feed exclusively on white oak group (Quercus sect. Quercus) species.
Exyra semicrocea
Pitcher Plant Mining Moth
Exyra semicrocea, commonly known as the Pitcher Plant Mining Moth, is a small noctuid moth specialized on pitcher plants in the genus Sarracenia. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States coastal plain, where it completes its entire life cycle within pitcher plant pitchers. Its larvae are miners that feed internally on pitcher plant tissue, making this one of the few moth species adapted to this unusual habitat.
Greya piperella
Greya piperella is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae (yucca moths and relatives). The species is notable for its specialized relationship with Heuchera host plants, where larvae mine the flower stalks. Adults feed on nectar from the same host flowers they use for oviposition, an unusual behavior among prodoxid moths.
Metriochroa
Metriochroa is a genus of leaf-mining moths in the family Gracillariidae, subfamily Oecophyllembiinae. Species are known from Asia, Africa, and possibly other regions. The genus was established by Busck in 1900. Larvae create leaf mines on host plants. Pupal morphology has been described as diagnostic for distinguishing Oecophyllembiinae from related groups.
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.