Bug FAQCeanothus stem gall moth
Periploca ceanothiella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Cosmopterigidae
The Ceanothus stem gall moth lives across many parts of North America, including states such as Arizona, California, Florida, and New York, as well as Ontario in Canada. Its caterpillars feed on plants of the Ceanothus genus, creating galls where they spend the winter before pupating in summer. Adult moths are on the wing from March through August and again in December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It has been recorded in many U.S. states and in Ontario, Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on Ceanothus species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The moth overwinters as a larva inside the gall it creates. Pupation occurs during the summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from March to August and also in December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 8 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Oregon, Kansas, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Texas.
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
When can I see adult Ceanothus stem gall moths?
Adults fly from March through August and again in December.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Cosmopterigidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periploca_ceanothiella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.