Bug FAQAlder Leafminer
Caloptilia alnivorella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
The adult moth has a wingspan of about 14 mm. It lives in parts of the Russian Far East, Canada and the United States, including states such as Vermont, Utah, Maine, California, Colorado and Michigan. The larvae mine the leaves of alders, birch, maple and oak species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan is roughly 14 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the Russian Far East, several Canadian provinces and many U.S. states such as Vermont, Utah, Maine, California, Colorado and Michigan.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the leaves of Acer negundo, various Alnus species, Betula papyrifera and Quercus garryana, creating leaf mines.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults overwinter in the fall and emerge in spring to mate.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are present after overwintering in spring.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the Russian Far East, Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Alaska, New York, Washington, New Mexico, Illinois, Idaho, Maine.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
When are adult Alder Leafminers active?
Adults emerge in spring after overwintering in the fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gracillariidae)
Horse-chestnut LeafminerCameraria ohridellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aspen Serpentine Leafminer MothPhyllocnistis populiellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllocnistis vitegenella complexPhyllocnistis vitegenellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Locust Digitate Leafminer MothParectopa robiniellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Poison Ivy Leaf-miner MothCameraria guttifinitella
Phyllocnistis insignisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloptilia_alnivorella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.