Bug FAQBasswood Miner Moth
Phyllonorycter lucetiella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
The adult moth is very small, with a wingspan of about 6 to 7 mm. Its larvae make a rectangular, often nearly square, unwrinkled mine between leaf veins on certain trees. The larvae feed on American hop-hornbeam and several species of linden trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The leaf mine is rectangular, often almost square, placed between two veins and remains unwrinkled.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan of 6 to 7 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on Ostrya virginiana (American hop-hornbeam) and on Tilia species, including Tilia americana, Tilia × vulgaris and Tilia × europaea.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
When the larva finishes feeding, the mine becomes transparent and the pupa, enclosed in an oval cocoon, can be seen inside.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 25 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, Ohio, Wisconsin.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees do the larvae feed on?
The larvae eat leaves of American hop-hornbeam and several linden (Tilia) species.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize the leaf mine?
Look for a rectangular, often nearly square, unwrinkled mine situated between two leaf veins.
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/Phyllonorycter_lucetiella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.