Bug FAQHickory Leafstem Borer Moth
Acrobasis angusella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Pyralidae
Also called: Hickory Leafstem Borer
Source: Wikipedia
Acrobasis angusella, the hickory leafstem borer, is a snout moth whose adults have a wingspan of about 18 mm. Its caterpillars feed on several hickory species and the larvae bore into leaf stems, making the leaves drop from the tree. Adult moths are on the wing from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan is roughly 18 millimeters.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on hickory trees, including smooth, shagbark, and mockernut hickory.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from May to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period of the moth spans late spring through early fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Massachusetts.
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
When are the adult moths active?
Adults can be seen flying from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
How does this bug damage trees?
The larvae tunnel into leaf stems, which makes the leaves fall off the tree.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyralidae)
Indian-Meal MothPlodia interpunctellaCan damage your home
Greater Wax MothGalleria mellonella
Mediterranean Flour MothEphestia kuehniellaCan damage your home
Meal mothPyralis farinalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bee MothAphomia sociellaNuisance, not dangerous
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia MothHypsopygia olinalisSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrobasis_angusella
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.