Bug FAQAsh Leaf Cone Roller
Caloptilia fraxinella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
Also called: Ash Leaf Cone Roller Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The ash leaf cone roller lives in parts of Canada and the northern United States. Its larvae mine the leaves of ash and privet species, feeding on the foliage.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It is regarded as a significant pest of horticultural ash.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on several ash species such as white ash, black ash, and green ash, as well as on privet plants. They create mines inside the leaves of their host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the same Canadian provinces and U.S. states listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 18 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, Connecticut.
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
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants does the ash leaf cone roller feed on?
The larvae feed on ash trees (including white, black, and green ash) and on privet species, mining the leaves of these plants.
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_fraxinella
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.