Bug FAQBoxwood Leaftier Moth
Galasa nigrinodis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Pyralidae
Also called: Boxwood Leaftier, boxwood webworm
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 13 to 20 mm and are active from June through September. They are found in eastern North America and belong to the Pyralidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The species is called Galasa nigrinodis, commonly known as the boxwood leaftier moth or boxwood webworm.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 13 to 20 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of boxwood (Buxus) species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You will see adults during the summer months, June through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 41 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio.
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
Do these moths damage my boxwood shrubs?
Yes, the larvae chew the leaves of boxwood plants, which can cause noticeable damage.
Source: Wikipedia
When are the adult moths active?
Adult boxwood leaftier moths are active from June through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyralidae)
Indian-Meal MothPlodia interpunctellaCan damage your home
Greater Wax MothGalleria mellonella
Mediterranean Flour MothEphestia kuehniellaCan damage your home
Meal mothPyralis farinalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bee MothAphomia sociellaNuisance, not dangerous
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia MothHypsopygia olinalisSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galasa_nigrinodis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.