Bug FAQGoldenrod Leaffolder Moth
Agonopterix pulvipennella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Depressariidae
Also called: Featherduster Agonopterix, Goldenrod Leaffolder, Goldenrod Leafffolder
The goldenrod leaffolder moth has a wingspan of about 16 to 21 mm. Adults fly from February through October, producing one generation each year. It lives across much of North America, from eastern Canada down to the Carolinas and west to Colorado and Saskatchewan.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the moth family Depressariidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges between 16 and 21 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the leaves of goldenrod (Solidago) and nettles (Urtica).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species overwinters as an adult moth. Adults are on the wing from February through October, producing one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from February to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to North America, spanning eastern Canada to the central United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 31 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire.
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 goldenrod leaffolder moths?
Adults are on the wing from February through October.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on the leaves of goldenrod and nettles.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found in North America?
It has been recorded from eastern Canada down to North Carolina and west to Colorado and Saskatchewan.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agonopterix_pulvipennella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.