Bug FAQMaple Leaftier Moth
Acleris forsskaleana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
Also called: Moth, Maple Button
The maple leaftier moth has a wingspan of about 12 to 17 mm. Its forewings are yellowish with a net-like pattern of dark lines and a greyish patch across the centre. Adults are active from June through September, flying at dusk.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are yellowish with a reticulated darker pattern, a greyish suffusion on the disc, a dark V-shaped line, and many narrow brown transverse lines that together form a net pattern.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 12 to 17 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in woodlands and gardens across Europe and North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on field maple, sycamore, and Norway maple.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from June to September, mainly at dusk.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight period is June through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Europe and North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada; introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the wings of the maple leaftier moth look like?
They are yellowish with a net-like pattern of dark lines, a greyish patch on the disc, and a distinctive dark V-shaped line.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult maple leaftier moths?
Adults are on the wing from June to September, usually flying at dusk.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the larvae of this moth feed on?
The caterpillars eat the leaves of field maple, sycamore, and Norway maple.
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/Acleris_forsskaleana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.