Bug FAQLocust Twig Borer Moth
Ecdytolopha insiticiana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Also called: Locust Twig Borer
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 20 to 25 mm and are active from May through August. The caterpillars live inside the stems of Robinia pseudoacacia, harming seedlings, stump sprouts and new growth of older trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The locust twig borer is a moth in the Tortricidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 20 to 25 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on the black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period spans the late spring and summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, found in the same states and provinces listed for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 42 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey.
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
What trees does the locust twig borer damage?
Its larvae feed inside the stems of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), harming seedlings, sprouts and new growth.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult locust twig borers active?
Adults are active and can be seen flying from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Filbertworm MothCydia latiferreanaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdytolopha_insiticiana
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.