Bug FAQChrysaster ostensackenella
Chrysaster ostensackenella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
Source: Wikipedia
The adult moth has a wingspan of about five millimetres. It is found in parts of Canada and the United States, and has also been recorded in China, Korea and Italy. The larvae mine the leaves of Robinia species, harming those plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure roughly five millimetres across the wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and several U.S. states such as Illinois and New York.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the leaves of Robinia plants, creating mines that damage the foliage.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its known range includes eastern Canada and the United States, with later records from Asia and Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 31 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How large is Chrysaster ostensackenella?
The moth’s wingspan is about five millimetres.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It lives in parts of Canada and the United States and has been reported from China, Korea and Italy.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants does it affect?
Its larvae mine the leaves of Robinia species, damaging those trees and shrubs.
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/Chrysaster_ostensackenella
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.