Bug FAQCoyote Brush Stem Gall Moth
Gnorimoschema baccharisella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae
The adult moth has forewings about 6 to 9 mm long, with males slightly smaller than females. It lives in North America, recorded from California, where its larvae make hard stem galls on the shrub Baccharis pilularis. Adults fly from mid-July through late November, and pupation occurs on the ground.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Forewing length ranges from 6.2 to 8.5 mm in males and 6.5 to 9 mm in females.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species is found in North America, with records from California.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the shrub Baccharis pilularis, creating hard galls on its stems.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
After feeding, the larvae pupate on the ground. Adult moths are on the wing from mid-July to late November.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from mid-July through late November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America and has been recorded in California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 3 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, New Mexico, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see the adult moths?
Adults are on the wing from mid-July to late November.
Source: Wikipedia
What plant do the larvae affect?
The larvae feed on Baccharis pilularis and cause hard stem galls.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It has been recorded in California, part of its North American range.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are these moths?
Forewings measure about 6.2 to 8.5 mm in males and 6.5 to 9 mm in females.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Gelechiidae)
Angoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Black-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscella
Inverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsDichomeris inversella
White Stripe-backed MothArogalea cristifasciella
Palmerworm Moth and AlliesDichomeris ligulella
Cream-edged Dichomeris Moth and AlliesDichomeris flavocostellaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnorimoschema_baccharisella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.