Pygmy-moth
Guides
Stigmella fuscotibiella
Stigmella fuscotibiella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, characterized by its diminutive size and leaf-mining larval habit. The species is distributed across eastern and central North America, with records from the United States and Canada. Its larvae feed on willow species (Salix), creating characteristic mines in host plant leaves.
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 myricafoliella
Stigmella myricafoliella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, recorded in eastern North America from Florida to Nova Scotia. The species has a wingspan of 5–5.2 mm. Larvae are specialist feeders on Myrica species, creating distinctive blotch mines in leaves.
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 ostryaefoliella
Stigmella ostryaefoliella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae. The species is known from the eastern United States and Ontario, Canada. Larvae are leaf miners that feed on several hardwood genera. Adults have two generations per year.
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 rhamnicola
Stigmella rhamnicola is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae. The species exhibits seasonal dimorphism in wing size, with the winter generation being slightly larger than the summer generation. It produces two to three generations annually, with mines most abundant in October. The species is a leaf miner specialist on Rhamnus lanceolata.
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 tiliella
Stigmella tiliella is a pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, known for its extremely small size and leaf-mining larval behavior. The species is restricted to the eastern United States, specifically Ohio and Kentucky. Its larvae are specialized feeders on Tilia americana (American basswood), creating distinctive mines in the leaves. Adults exhibit bivoltine phenology with two generations per year.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-alnus
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the genus Stigmella, recognized by its association with alder (Alnus) as a host plant. The species has been documented as a leafminer on alder but has not yet received a formal scientific name. As a member of the Nepticulidae, it is part of a diverse family of minute moths whose larvae create distinctive mines in leaves.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-carya
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the family Nepticulidae, genus Stigmella, associated with Carya (hickory) as a host plant. The species has not yet received a formal scientific name but is recognized as distinct based on host association and presumably morphological or genetic differentiation from described congeners.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-frangula-purshiana
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the genus Stigmella (family Nepticulidae) associated with Frangula purshiana (cascara buckthorn). As a member of this genus, it is a leaf-mining moth whose larvae feed internally within leaf tissue. The species has not yet received formal scientific description, though its host plant association has been documented. Stigmella species are typically small, with adults often measuring less than 5 mm in wingspan, and are recognized by their distinctive larval feeding patterns.
Stigmella undescribed-species-on-mahonia
An undescribed species of pygmy moth in the genus Stigmella (family Nepticulidae) known to occur on Mahonia plants. Like other Stigmella species, it is presumed to be a leaf-mining specialist, though formal description and detailed biological study are pending. The species has been documented sufficiently to recognize its distinctness from described taxa but awaits taxonomic formalization.
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.
Zimmermannia mesoloba
Zimmermannia mesoloba is a species of minute moth in the family Nepticulidae, originally described by Davis in 1978 as Ectoedemia mesoloba and later transferred to Zimmermannia. Nepticulidae are among the smallest Lepidoptera, commonly known as pygmy moths or midget moths. Species in this genus are leaf miners, with larvae feeding inside leaf tissue.
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.