Bug FAQGoldenrod Leafminer (Cremastobombycia solidaginis)
Cremastobombycia solidaginis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gracillariidae
The goldenrod leafminer has a wingspan of about 7 to 9 mm. Its larvae feed on several goldenrod species such as Solidago altissima, S. canadensis and S. rugosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 7 to 9 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on Baccharis pilularis and many Solidago species, including S. altissima, S. bicolor, S. caesia, S. canadensis, S. fistulosa, S. gigantea, S. patula and S. rugosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 21 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Maryland, Illinois.
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 plants do the larvae of the goldenrod leafminer eat?
The larvae feed on Baccharis pilularis and a variety of goldenrod (Solidago) species.
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/Cremastobombycia_solidaginis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.